Mayor Gauci should resign

Utopia is an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or near perfect qualities for its citizens.

Was it the name that made Baw Baw Shire Council jump in blindfold to purchase this facility, located on an extreme boundary of the shire? Hardly convenient. No community consultation for this site. For the three other sites considered, Lardner was preferred – no mention in the officers’ report as to why Lardner was abandoned.

Mayor Joe Gauci admits due diligence was based on the Utopia business and potential to co-locate the pound.

He admits the business model was not done because council went into caretaker mode came in the lead up to council elections – this in itself should be grounds for the mayor to follow the lead of the then chief executive officer and resign – he can throw his own money around with gay abandon – but not our money.

Even though the council has announced it will close the pet lodge facility I would like someone to tell me why they considered running it in the first place.

Of course it is going to run at a loss given the penalty rates paid to council staff under their Enterprise Bargaining Agreement.

A small business owner would not be paying themselves penalty rates for out of hours service – simply could not afford to. Why would council spend our rates on a small business that can be provided by the private sector? Were the hours of operation and labour costs covered in the business case?

A thirty-four page document titled “Major Projects Guidance for Local Government” produced by Maddocks (councils’ city legal advisers) and Ernst @ Young would surely be a start point for council – seems to have been ignored – how can this be?

If this is not enough, councillors and staff might spend some time reading the ninety-six page “Good Governance Guide” produced by the peak local government bodies in Victoria. Not hard to identify actions at the local level that do not reflect intent contained in the “Guide” – guess it is only a guide.

The “commercial in confidence” catchcry will be presented every time it gets a bit sticky for council. What is the reason under the “Financial Impact” section of the officers’ report that there is not even a bottom line estimate for the operation of new facility – because they have no idea – what a mess.

Thank goodness we have Cr Danny Goss and the Gazette to put these issues before the voters.

Who will be the new CEO? Will the new position holder be able to lead council by the nose as seems to be the case with the new pound decision or will council be the decision maker – I wrote some time back on the process for recruiting a new CEO, to start with a blank sheet of paper and set down council requirements. I suspect we will employ another MBA who has not lived in nor understands country folk. Don McLean, Warragul before caretaker mode ahead of last years' election".

Councillors who voted in favour of this ill informed purchase should be ashamed along with those in management who recommended the proposed action.

One can't help but think that if those councillors or senior management were investing in the proposal, rather than we the ratepayer, a significantly more prudent approach would have been. Bob Haisman, Drouin

Any decrease in volunteer numbers in the two thirds of metropolitan Melbourne due to unrest will also adversely affect response to large local rural fires during hot days locally. On Black Saturday many metropolitan brigade appliances’, manned by volunteers, fought local fires.

There is also a legal requirement for government to properly engage with CFA volunteers on matters that change things for them, and this has not yet occurred in an appropriate way. A full parliamentary inquiry, when this legislation does not get through the upper house, will give time for this to happen as part of proper processes.

If the fire services need reviewing and restructure this should be done for the right reasons and not to solve an embarrassing industrial problem for the government. Brian Brewer, District 9 president Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria

I drove to Drouin today and saw the posts erected along the edges of the highway waiting for the cable to be fitted. I almost cried.

Several years ago all of the vegetation was removed from the section in the middle to make the highway safer.

Well, I guess it didn't work. All of those plants and the associated homes for creatures destroyed for no reason.

I'm sure there were also many animals, birds, reptiles and bugs destroyed along with the trees and shrubs. Next time please think before you act and do your research properly! I hope that at the very least this area will be replanted.

Lynne Brady Garfield