A perpetual state of status quo

I’ve finally figured out why we are stuck in a rut with this moribund, uninspired and uninspiring Council.  It has become a self-perpetuating machine.

Here’s how it works:

Our charismatic CEO hires lots of staff and treats them well. He also looks after the councillors, providing them with resolutions to vote on and projects to approve which they can then call achievements. He puts on nice food and alcoholic drinks after every meeting and regularly takes them and their spouses out to dinner with his senior staff and their spouses (all on the ratepayers purse). Everyone is happy.

Comes the time for an election or by-election. Friends, relatives and associates of the councillors and the Council staff are encouraged to run. When it comes to voting, most of the community are apathetic because they have been told in the Council newsletter and the compliant local media that everything is hunky-dory. But there is one group of highly-motivated voters --  council staff, councillors and their friends and relatives, who are naturally keen to maintain the status quo.  Because the CEO has hired so many staff, these insiders and their circles of friends and family make up a big enough section of the population in this small community to ensure, because they will always vote, that one of their own is elected.

In the recent election, we saw the outgoing councillor Brian Moore replaced by his wife Joanne. How cosy!  Another candidate was the husband of a former councillor. One of the current councillors is the father of a Shire staff member.

CEO Tim Clynch has just been given another pay rise, but he continues to hire staff to help carry out the duties he is supposed to perform. The Shire now has more than 50 staff members, so many that Mr Clynch has recently decided he needed to hire a part-time Human Resources Officer. So until the growth of the population here outstrips the growth in Shire staff numbers, or until we amalgamate with another Shire, it seems nothing will change.

By-election race explained

What passes for news media in this part of the world has done a predictably mediocre job of covering the Council by-election, failing to identify a single issue and falling back on standard “candidate profiles”.

So let me deconstruct some of the tired platitudes served up by the candidates in last week’s Manjimup-Bridgetown Times.

Joanne Moore.  Shamelessly standing to take over her husband Brian’s seat, despite the fact that if elected will have the same financial conflict of interest which he cited as his reason for resigning. (See post titled ‘From one conflict to another’ below)

“Clearly the time has come for maintenance of what we have in roads, rather than the sealing of existing roads.”   Meaning: The road to my house is sealed, so bugger everyone else – especially Southwell!

“I’m a down-to-earth person who is not afraid to speak my mind.”  Meaning: Although I’ve been to several community meetings and never uttered a word, I did poke my tongue out at someone once, which I thought spoke volumes.

Peter Quinby.  Used to put his name to poisonous letters to the paper penned by his councillor wife. They’ve heard councillor pay is going up and they miss the free dinners, so its his turn to warm a seat.’

“It is unrealistic to expect rates to increase in relation to the CPI. Equally, unless the Shire delivers a constant package of works and services, rates are likely to increase as new services are supplied. I would pay particular attention to the budget to ensure the Shire gives value for money.”  Meaning: no-one knows.

“I believe local government should support development in the community largely by getting out of the way.”   Meaning:  Let’s continue to do nothing, and just enjoy the free drinks and meals.

Marta Sandberg.  Famous for having her deceased husband cryogenically frozen.

“Services are a lot like infrastructure. We have to balance what we want with what we are willing to pay.  All in all, I think Bridgetown has found a pretty good compromise.”   Meaning:  I have no new ideas on the way forward, but I’m bored and getting on Council might be interesting.

John Nicholas.  This is his third try at getting on Council. If he misses out this time will go down as the Nathan Buckley of Bridgetown politics – the best candidate never to win a seat.  (Buckley best AFL player who never played in Premiership).

“ I am open to the notion of alternative management of shire services to permit shire funds to be focused on essential  services.”   Meaning:  Money can be saved by contracting out the work of the Council works crew and reducing the number of  full time employees.

Gerry Georgatos & Jenny Kaeshagan.  Not sure of the wisdom of partners running together.  They are both great candidates, but standing together may cost them votes.  They have each put forward strong and interesting cases for a fresh approach to managing Council affairs and community issues.

Along with John Nicholas, they are the stand-out candidates, offering the best chance for much-needed reform of this moribund Council.

The CEO cannot be questioned, apparently...

The irony didn’t hit me until later…

I went along to the May Council meeting last Thursday to ask a couple of questions.  I was going ask the CEO why he had been selectively applying the convention, enshrined in Council Policy, to give a Certificate of Appreciation and councillor nameplate to outgoing councillors.

You see, this little tribute to departing councillors was religiously followed until Cr William Moyes and myself lost our seats at the elections 18-months ago.  No tributes, no nameplate presentation, no invitation to drinks for us. In fact, we heard there were high-fives exchanged at the Council offices upon announcement of the poll results. 

So I asked CEO Tim Clynch if he believed Council Policies should be adhered to without favouritism or personal prejudice.

Before Mr Clynch could speak, President Tony Pratico, intervened and declared my question was out of order. Questions could not be asked of the CEO, he said.  In my time on Council and attending Council meetings, I have heard dozens of questions put to the CEO during question time and answered by him.

At the previous Council meeting in April, five questions were asked, 3 directed to the CEO.  At the March meeting there were 22 questions asked, 14 answered by the CEO, 6 by the President and two answered by both of them.

But I realised later, my question did get answered – by Mr Pratico. Yes, this Council does selectively apply its policies according to favouritism and personal prejudice. If you are someone like me who dares to question and (heaven forbid) criticise the current regime, the rules are changed, you lose your rights and are shunned.

 

 From: Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire  'Council Values'

• Acceptance of community diversity
• Openness and accountability
• Equity and fairness for all