Major money woes

THE shock resignation of North Burnett mayor Rachel Chambers has again shone a spotlight on the dire financial situation the council is facing, with a union making big demands of the remaining councillors.

Ms Chambers made an emotional resignation announcement on Facebook on Wednesday, telling residents she would step down on December 11.

The mayor said personal and “life-changing” events over the past few months had served as a “wake-up call as to how life needs to be lived” and forced her to rethink her priorities.

The announcement of Ms Chambers’ decision to call it quits has brought the impending crisis into the spotlight.

The Australian Services Union, which represents many council workers, issued a press release saying it “respects” the decision of the mayor and “wished her well”.

But it took aim at the remaining councillors, calling on them to “do the right thing”.

“The remaining councillors now carry a heavier responsibility for the direction of council and the level of support and services across all the North Burnett communities,” the union said.

The union also hit out at the council’s slow pace in filling job vacancies.

“This week, our union learned that over 25 positions are sitting vacant across council,” it said.

It went on to claim half of the positions have been waiting for months for approval to advertise.

“It’s time to focus on the future of the North Burnett. Let’s keep local services open, keep money in the region as much as possible, and start employing locally again.

“The power is in the councillors’ hands.

“Save the North Burnett.” The revelation the council would have to cover the costs of a by-election to replace Ms Chambers would place even more pressure on the councillors over the North Burnett’s impending budgetary crisis.

In April of this year, Ms Chambers told residents at a council information session that the organisation’s finances were in disarray.

“Our back is against the wall. We’re running out of money,” she said at the time.

“We’re running out of time and we’re running out of options to save jobs.”

The mayor warned if nothing changed the North Burnett would run out of money by 2025, due to a combination of factors, which started with amalgamation in 2008.

For the council to break even the rates would need to go up by 78 per cent.