By Ruza Zivkusic
BRIMBANK’S youngest councillor is being accused of being “slack” for not returning residents’ phone calls.
Jenny Barboza, who juggles her time between council work, singing and final-year university studies, has been accused by some residents for not truly representing her Grasslands Ward.
Former Brimbank mayor Marion Martin told Star she had sent several e-mails to Cr Barboza last year inviting her to join the Neighbourhood Watch Committee, but has yet to receive a response.
Another resident, Anna Muszak, who regularly attends Brimbank City Council’s meetings, said she was disappointed in the representation of her fellow councillors – Ken Capar and Troy Atanasovski. Cr Capar is holidaying overseas after his drunken incident during a conference in Auckland last year.
St Albans Traders Association secretary Asip Demiri, who met Cr Barboza for the first time during last week’s council meeting, said he expected little from Cr Barboza as she had admitted to a media outlet before last council’s election that she was a “dummy” candidate.
“I’m sure she’s a nice kid but she hasn’t attended one St Albans Business Group Committee meeting,” Mr Demiri said.
“If you look for representation from her, it does not exist.”
After Star made four attempts to reach Cr Barboza last week, she responded, saying she was experiencing personal matters and “very sad moments” in her family.
“I don’t want for one second anyone to think that I’m giving up on them because I’m not. I’m in it for a reason and that is for the community,” Cr Barboza said.
When asked how she planned to respond to residents’ inquiries, Cr Barboza said: “I have a structure and I’ve done a plan”.
The previous council’s youngest councillor, Jessica Minutoli, also came under fire after she was absent from three ordinary council meetings and two general purpose advisory committee meetings during her last year at council.
Ms Martin was quick to criticise Ms Minutoli back then, saying that family issues were not an excuse for not attending council meetings and for not returning phone calls.
Mayor Margaret Giudice said councillors, who were paid $18,000 a year in salary, know “very well” what their responsibilities are.
“The responsibility with council is not only to return calls but also to attend meetings,” Cr Giudice said.
“All councillors are elected so they deserve their pay but it all depends how much they want to work and some do work more than others.”
