Wodonga Council will hold its first meeting on Monday since the recent elections and begins a new era as the only municipality in North-East Victoria without deputy mayor and a rookie councillor in the mayoral position. Wangaratta, Indigo, Towong, Moira and Benalla councils have backed in their pre-election leaders, Dean Rees, Jenny O'Connor, David Wortmann, Libro Mustica and Danny Claridge respectively with Alpine councillors electing John Forsyth to the top job with eight years experience behind him. Council newcomer Kevin Poulton won the mayoral election vote in Wodonga 4-3 over Cr Ron Mildren after Cr John Watson withdrew from the race after coveting the top job since being returned. Wodonga is also one out in the region by running without a deputy mayor. Cr Poulton hoped the council group could pull together post the mayoral election. But Wodonga Ratepayers Association president Allan Bounader said clear divisions had been further strained by comments made by outgoing mayor Anna Speedie in a radio interview. She accused some councillors of playing "bad politics" and Mr Bounader said she needed to butt out and move on. "She has had her day in the sun," he said. "She might be a ratepayer, but she doesn't have the right to criticise some of these councillors before the ink has even dried on the voting papers. "How is it fair they get criticised before they hold their first meeting? "The seven councillors haven't been given a chance to mesh in as a cohesive team. "It has always been an us versus them mentality for the last four years." Mr Bounader said the ratepayers association would be making an offer to the entire council team plus chief executive Mark Dixon to outline their vision for the next four years at a meeting early in 2021 when COVID restrictions permit. "They will be given an open invitation to attend so they can tell us exactly what they have got in mind," he said.
Wodonga Council will hold its first meeting on Monday since the recent elections and begins a new era as the only municipality in North-East Victoria without deputy mayor and a rookie councillor in the mayoral position.
Wangaratta, Indigo, Towong, Moira and Benalla councils have backed in their pre-election leaders, Dean Rees, Jenny O'Connor, David Wortmann, Libro Mustica and Danny Claridge respectively with Alpine councillors electing John Forsyth to the top job with eight years experience behind him.
She accused some councillors of playing "bad politics" and Mr Bounader said she needed to butt out and move on.
"She has had her day in the sun," he said.
"She might be a ratepayer, but she doesn't have the right to criticise some of these councillors before the ink has even dried on the voting papers.
"How is it fair they get criticised before they hold their first meeting?
"The seven councillors haven't been given a chance to mesh in as a cohesive team.
"It has always been an us versus them mentality for the last four years."
Mr Bounader said the ratepayers association would be making an offer to the entire council team plus chief executive Mark Dixon to outline their vision for the next four years at a meeting early in 2021 when COVID restrictions permit.
"They will be given an open invitation to attend so they can tell us exactly what they have got in mind," he said.
Follow us
Ad blocker issue
Your ad blocker may be preventing you from
being able to log in or subscribe.
