Mayor and councillor butt heads over community plan proposal
COUNCIL
DOUGLAS Shire Mayor Julia Leu and councillor David Carey have butted heads over a proposed development of a Community Plan for the region.
The implementation of a Community Plan was one of the main agenda items at a Council meeting yesterday, and prompted strong words from both Leu and Carey at the Chambers in Mossman.
Carey was ‘gob smacked’ that Leu and his fellow councillors would not consider a staged development of a Community Plan he said should be ‘one of the most important projects of our council’.
A Community Plan Framework Proposal was established by the Douglas Shire’s CEO Unit as part of the 2015-16 Operational Plan. They wanted to investigate strategic planning structures by other local Governments to gain a better insight into models that may be suited to the Port Douglas region.
“What council is saying is that we know better than the (council) staff,” Carey said at the meeting.
“This should be one of the most important projects of our council. If it’s not, then frankly I don’t know what we’re all doing here. I think (the decision against the proposal) it lacks vision.”
The proposal presented by Council staff, who researched a number of best practice models throughout Australia, New Zealand and Canada, was knocked back yesterday with Leu and councillors Abigail Noli, Michael Kerr and Roy Zammataro voting against the recommendation.
One of the main sticking points was the cost of the Community Plan - estimated to be $150,000 - and the ‘timing’ of it.
In response to Carey, Leu said she ‘absolutely reject the comments that this Council lacks vision’, which eventually drew a point of order call from Carey and a second from Noli, who said ‘the Mayor has made her decision.’
Newsport asked readers on Monday whether another plan is necessary; how Council hopes to obtain greater input from rate payers; and their thoughts on the listed financial implications.
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MEANWHILE, other items discussed at Tuesday’s meeting included a Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy Grant application, with Leu discussing the tragedy of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, and a proposed service station at the old Paws and Claws site that has been given the green light.