Letter to the editor I am writing this opinion piece because I am in Australia, as opposed to several other places in the world that I could name, I am allowed the luxury of not only having an opinion, but being able to express it. Ballarat is working its way up to the four yearly City Council Elections - a phenomenistic event required under the Local Government Act 2020 by which a few individuals set themselves up for four years of hallrd work and community ridicule. Masochism of the first order because in order to get elected one must be prepared to be an Aunt Sally and receive all the criticism and brick batts thrown by some in the community. It really is a trial by fire - I know I have done it and bless my soul here we go again. I mean just look at the criticism currently being thrown at the former Liberal leaning Mayor (three terms), now Councillor Samantha McIntosh, about all sorts of issues, some of which she was directly involved in, some which she was not - no matter, sling the mud, some will stick. Without question, history will judge Mayor McIntosh as being one of the better performing mayors in the history of the city. Certainly, since amalgamation formed the new City of Ballarat council, and particularly and unquestionably when viewed from the perspective of her dedication to Ballarat and the extreme zeal with which she threw herself into the task, particularly with heritage issues. In the fourth year of this council term she suffered the ignominy of being defeated by a young challenger who stood against her, and won, on the basis of the votes of two Laborites - himself and one other Liberal and a Green. Strange Bedfellows to be very sure. Is it a coincidence that all sorts of the aforementioned mud seems to be being flung, particularly in her direction? The City of Ballarat is a council of nine - each has a vote and it is really hard for any councillor to get anything through just on the basis of a personal whim. It takes at the very least five votes and majority rules - there is no requirement for a unanimous vote - winners are grinners. So, the facts of the matter are, the mud, if it be deserved at all, must be very evenly spread. Projects like - Gatekeepers Cottage - adopted by council - Fernery - adopted by council - Creswick Road Car park - adopted by council - Civic Hall - Link Road - airport - multiple sports grounds - North Football Club property acquisition - all in their day controversial and all in their own right "adopted by council" and legitimately actioned by officers. Just let's take the Gatekeepers Cottage which has been in the news of late. It has a number of financial elements which attach to it - elements starting with a $40,000 donation from the Friends of the Gardens, further donations totaling another $60,000, $5,000 from Rotary and amounts of $418,000 from council. To me that's a legitimate total of $523,000. Where's the budget blow out? Every dollar spent was approved by councillors or donated, yet Cr McIntosh gets mud flung with cries of over unauthorized spending. It is really a great shame a few people just don't concentrate on publicizing their own achievements instead of denigrating those who have at least tried. Grant Tillett, Ballarat City councillor. Editor's note: Costs quoted in the story From $100,000 to half a million dollars: How the Gatekeeper Cottage costs kept growing (The Courier August 1, 2020) are the council's own figures. In January 2017, a report councillors unanimously approved, indicated the cost would be "a maximum of $100,000 to relocate, refurbish and provide full services for the cottage". The total costs associated with the cottage were $501,546 over a three-year program, including $181,110 in 2017-18, $301,757 in 2018-19 and $18,679 in 2019-20.
I am writing this opinion piece because I am in Australia, as opposed to several other places in the world that I could name, I am allowed the luxury of not only having an opinion, but being able to express it.
Ballarat is working its way up to the four yearly City Council Elections - a phenomenistic event required under the Local Government Act 2020 by which a few individuals set themselves up for four years of hallrd work and community ridicule.
Masochism of the first order because in order to get elected one must be prepared to be an Aunt Sally and receive all the criticism and brick batts thrown by some in the community.
It really is a trial by fire - I know I have done it and bless my soul here we go again.
I mean just look at the criticism currently being thrown at the former Liberal leaning Mayor (three terms), now Councillor Samantha McIntosh, about all sorts of issues, some of which she was directly involved in, some which she was not - no matter, sling the mud, some will stick.
Without question, history will judge Mayor McIntosh as being one of the better performing mayors in the history of the city.
Certainly, since amalgamation formed the new City of Ballarat council, and particularly and unquestionably when viewed from the perspective of her dedication to Ballarat and the extreme zeal with which she threw herself into the task, particularly with heritage issues.
In the fourth year of this council term she suffered the ignominy of being defeated by a young challenger who stood against her, and won, on the basis of the votes of two Laborites - himself and one other Liberal and a Green.
Strange Bedfellows to be very sure. Is it a coincidence that all sorts of the aforementioned mud seems to be being flung, particularly in her direction?
The City of Ballarat is a council of nine - each has a vote and it is really hard for any councillor to get anything through just on the basis of a personal whim.
It takes at the very least five votes and majority rules - there is no requirement for a unanimous vote - winners are grinners. So, the facts of the matter are, the mud, if it be deserved at all, must be very evenly spread.
Projects like - Gatekeepers Cottage - adopted by council - Fernery - adopted by council - Creswick Road Car park - adopted by council - Civic Hall - Link Road - airport - multiple sports grounds - North Football Club property acquisition - all in their day controversial and all in their own right "adopted by council" and legitimately actioned by officers.
Just let's take the Gatekeepers Cottage which has been in the news of late.
It has a number of financial elements which attach to it - elements starting with a $40,000 donation from the Friends of the Gardens, further donations totaling another $60,000, $5,000 from Rotary and amounts of $418,000 from council.
To me that's a legitimate total of $523,000. Where's the budget blow out? Every dollar spent was approved by councillors or donated, yet Cr McIntosh gets mud flung with cries of over unauthorized spending.
It is really a great shame a few people just don't concentrate on publicizing their own achievements instead of denigrating those who have at least tried.
Grant Tillett, Ballarat City councillor.
Editor's note: Costs quoted in the story From $100,000 to half a million dollars: How the Gatekeeper Cottage costs kept growing(The Courier August 1, 2020) are the council's own figures. In January 2017, a report councillors unanimously approved, indicated the cost would be "a maximum of $100,000 to relocate, refurbish and provide full services for the cottage". The total costs associated with the cottage were $501,546 over a three-year program, including $181,110 in 2017-18, $301,757 in 2018-19 and $18,679 in 2019-20.
