FORMER Wodonga mayor John Watson believes scepticism over the Two Cities One Community plan will remain until big projects are secured by his city and Albury.
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“To show credibility with what the two councils have done to date we do need to land a couple of good projects and get some outcomes from them,” Cr Watson told Monday night’s Wodonga council meeting.
“Until we do that the community will always be a bit conservative.”
Wodonga on Monday night adopted draft action and community strategic plans for Two Cities One Community following feedback.
Retired former mayor Rodney Wangman, in a submission, suggested concerns about not wasting ratepayer money was “just inexperience”.
“With more time new councillors will learn that only….three cents in every dollar of all taxes collected is from the local government level, with 97 cents ‘gathered’ by state and Commonwealth governments,” he wrote.
Councillor Tim Quilty said he was “taken by the words of wisdom” of Mr Wangman.
“I certainly agree with his view that the federal and state governments waste vastly more money than the local level ever could,” Cr Quilty said.
“If anyone should know about wasting ratepayers’ money it should be Rod, I understand he and his team did a pretty good job in that area back in the day.”
Mayor Anna Speedie then interrupted, saying “councillor I am going to caution you on that”.
“Am I allowed to praise him?” Cr Quilty asked.
“You accused him of wasting money,” Cr Speedie replied.
“No I didn’t,” Cr Quilty said.
“I look forward to the day when I’ve learnt enough to meet Rod’s standards on how things should be done.”
In her comments to the meeting, Cr Speedie said she had received “incredibly positive” feedback to the plan.
She said Wodonga’s community saw it as a “commonsense approach” and it offered the city “real optimism”.
Albury Council will have a similar motion and the same responses to consider at its monthly meeting next Monday.
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