The door to Wodonga councillors being dismissed by the Victorian government has been left open by the Local Government Minister, the city's mayor believes.
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Ron Mildren was commenting after the minister Melissa Horne sent a letter to him on August 28 which outlined her worry with the council's administration.
"I am disappointed by recent reports concerning Wodonga Council and I am concerned that the matters raised by individual councillors may indicate an ongoing risk to good governance at the council," Ms Horne wrote.
She then flagged: politics, conflicts and bias were affecting decisions and governance; allegations of strained ties between councillors and staff due to intimidation and disrespect; a dysfunctional councillor culture and poor working relations between councillors; concern at undue pressure on the chief executive.
Ms Horne calls on the council to inform her by December 1 on how her concerns have been addressed.
![Victorian Local Government Minister Melissa Horne has flagged her ongoing concerns about the governance of Wodonga Council and wants evidence of changes. Picture by The Standard Victorian Local Government Minister Melissa Horne has flagged her ongoing concerns about the governance of Wodonga Council and wants evidence of changes. Picture by The Standard](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XJLgPnEdnKaFugZzKyL6Sw/f2e15287-cf8e-40d5-bf61-fe07c838ae52.jpg/r0_52_1017_678_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"After considering the response from the council, I will determine whether further action is necessary to ensure good governance," Ms Horne said.
The letter has been made public in the agenda for the council meeting being held on Monday, October 16.
It follows the council having been scrutinised by a government-appointed monitor, Janet Dore, for nine months from April 2022, after governance concerns.
Ms Dore recommended no action be taken against the council and letters were subsequently sent from Cr Mildren and dissenting councillor Graeme Simpfendorfer to Ms Horne in response to the monitor's report.
Ms Horne's letter is in response to those and correspondence from unnamed councillors.
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Asked if he thought Ms Horne's reference to "further action" could involve dismissal, Cr Mildren was unequivocal.
"I would have thought everything was on the table, there's been no indication nothing is off the table," Cr Mildren said.
The Border Mail has contacted Ms Horne's office to clarify if ousting the council is an option.
A government spokeswoman noted the council had until December 1 to "respond to concerns that have been raised and it is hoped that it can do so successfully".
"It would be inappropriate to speculate any future actions until council has had a chance to address the issues raised," she said.
The spokeswoman also said: "It is preferred that councils act to resolve governance issue internally without the need for government intervention."
Cr Mildren said he had been surprised by the minister's letter.
![The Wodonga Council may be dismissed by the Local Government Minister Melissa Horne if she is not satisfied with its responses to her. The Wodonga Council may be dismissed by the Local Government Minister Melissa Horne if she is not satisfied with its responses to her.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XJLgPnEdnKaFugZzKyL6Sw/eb69193b-0e63-4ad0-81e3-bb4560be8108.jpg/r0_238_4653_3071_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"My initial reaction was that most of the things being raised had been addressed by both the monitor and subsequent submissions and dealings, but clearly that wasn't the way the minister viewed it," he said.
On Monday night, a draft letter, that was finalised earlier this week, in anticipation of being sent to Ms Horne will be debated with a recommendation that it be adopted on the agenda.
It notes the efforts the council has made to improve governance and states that councillors have worked respectfully together.
"Councillor relationships are generally professional, and differences are usually derived from passion and belief in the merits or otherwise of given issues," the letter states.
"Once the dust of the debate settles, councillor relationships are amicable."
Cr Mildren said he could not predict how the matter would unfold on Monday night and if dissenting letters would be sent from councillors.
He said he was unaware of which councillors, other than Cr Simpfendorfer, had contacted Ms Horne.
"We just have to go by the rules and the rules are what they are, people have a right to make submissions and put letters into the minister and the department," Cr Mildren said.
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