Wodonga councillor Olga Quilty has had a further notice of motion about the legitimacy of the June meeting rejected.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Council chief executive Mark Dixon ruled out a notice of motion from Cr Quilty being included on the agenda for this week's July meeting with a pledge from her to re-submit one next month.
But the matter has been closed, unless pursued in the courts.
"Following legal advice and advice from Local Government Victoria, it has been determined the councillors are not able to determine the validity of their own meeting, in this instance, the June meeting," Mr Dixon said.
"This is only a subject for a court of law.
"In addition, the councillors have now voted unanimously in favour of the minutes of the June council meeting and the resolutions of the council, which have now been enacted upon.
"Hence the motion, requesting they consider this matter, has been rejected.
"I am of the view that it would be waste of ratepayers dollars to keep pursuing such a matter.
"Councillors have the right to challenge this via the Chief Municipal Inspector.
"Council staff continue to focus on delivering for our community and helping to make Wodonga a better place to live and work."
The latest rejection coincides with Mr Dixon writing a letter to the editor responding to the "operational concerns" raised from the June meeting held over consecutive nights when Cr Quilty quit the meeting when she felt she had been disrespected by mayor Kevin Poulton.
"Having sought formal legal advice and advice from Local Government Victoria, we remain very comfortable that the meeting was entirely legal, appropriate and COVID safe," Mr Dixon's letter, in part, said.
IN OTHER NEWS
Cr Quilty's husband and former Wodonga councillor Tim took to social media bemoaning her inability to seek answers on the validity of the June meeting.
"It appears they are going out of their way to avoid it and I am wondering why?" Mr Quilty, who resigned from council when elected to the Victorian Parliament Upper House, said.
"Ultimately they are going to create twice as much bad publicity for themselves by trying to avoid it rather than by actually facing it.
"They might have changed a few of the faces, but the same old Wodonga Council is grinding on."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.bordermail.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @bordermail
- Follow us on Instagram @bordermail
- Follow us on Google News.