I REFER to the recent article on the Emerald Village Committee and the decision by Cardinia Council not to waive demands for information on private and financial interests.
The story quotes Doug Evans, Cardinia manager of governance and communications seen by some as having the unhappy position of the shire’s fall guy on the need for transparency.
This is the most overworked weasel word in Cardinia’s vocabulary.
As a ratepayer, one would wish that our elected representatives and their employees in local government would take heed of Mr Evans’ comments, as anything less transparent than the constant covert covens ie incamera meetings are hard to imagine.
It seems the council spends almost as much time in these secret sessions as in open council meetings, which does not exactly inspire confidence in us simple folk in the community.
Thank heavens, we can all help change the situation at council elections in November.
John Dudley
Emerald
AFTER reading the recent article and letter (Mail, 23 August) regarding the Emerald Village Committee, I felt I had to comment in regard to the officer’s actions.
Surely it’s about time the councillors stopped taking the officers’ recommendations without debate and started to think of the good of the people of Cardinia.
Or is it that the officers believe they run the Shire of Cardinia and not the elected representatives?
Perhaps in November we will get a few more councillors who have the courage to stand up to the officers and not take every recommendation as a fait acompli.
Carla Gates
Emerald
