BALLARAT’S mayor has been accused of silencing any public debate on the appointment of the city’s chief executive.
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Debate erupted in the Town Hall on Wednesday night as residents and former mayors implored the council to allow for public submissions to be considered on the top job.
Their calls come days before councillors will vote on August 5 on whether to reappoint current chief Anthony Schinck or advertise the position for the first time in eight years.
Former John Barnes queried the council’s process surrounding the appointment but his question was ruled out by Ballarat Mayor John Philips before he was able to finish.
Mr Barnes said he was left disturbed by the lack of democracy. He said members of the public who put forward questions surrounding the issue were treated with "contempt."
"They've publicised their intention to reappoint the CEO so they ought to be explaining to the public why they think he is the best person for the job," Mr Barnes said. "Instead, they are determined nobody will know the process and the wider public will be completely stifled and excluded."
His concerns were echoed by another former mayor James Coghlan who questioned grants carried over in council budgets in the last two financial years.
“I'm very disappointed that between them the CEO, mayor, chief financial officer were either unable or unwilling to name one project that was claimed to have been supported before the end of June with the prepaid grant money from the state government," Mr Coghlan said.
Resident Ron Egeberg told councillors the community felt “silenced and ignored.”
“It’s time for councillors to be accountable for their actions,” Mr Egeberg said. “There is a groundswell of residents not asking, but demanding, that this position is advertised.”
Cr Philips admitted he silenced the submitters "to a degree" but hit back at claims he has stonewalled the public on the issue.
"It is simply not appropriate to discuss the contract of an employee in a public domain," Cr Philips said."If people want to raise that issues, they are more than welcome to contact councillors and put forward their views.”
The city’s acting governance officer Glenn Kallio said the appointment was a “contractual matter” bound by the Local Government Act and submissions cannot be received.