By NATALIE GALLENTI
MELTON City Council last week endorsed the 2013-’14 budget, but not before the council meeting was adjourned twice and police were called to the premises yet again.
Like other meetings held earlier this year, the council chambers erupted during public question time when a group of disgruntled residents sought clarification on their questions surrounding the legality of local government.
Members of the gallery got to their feet and demanded answers from the council before mayor Kathy Majdlik called for an adjournment. Cr Majdlik had already adjourned the meeting once and warned the gallery members that they were out of order on at least three occasions.
When the councillors removed themselves from the chambers for a second time, the gallery continued its heated discussion as other residents entered the debate and called for calm at the meetings.
Upon returning to the chambers, the council was finally able to endorse the 2013-’14 budget – but not unanimously.
Councillors Broden Borg and Lara Carli said they could not support the budget, claiming the four per cent rate rise would leave many residents struggling financially.
Cr Borg said he did not “oppose the budget lightly”, but he would continue to stick to his election promise of capping rates at CPI.
“My qualm is with the four per cent increase … and that is why I cannot support the budget,” he said.
Cr Carli described the budget as “mean-spirited” and said many suburbs were ignored and she too could not agree with the rates increase.
Cr Majdlik said she believed that with a lot of hard work the council had achieved a “balanced budget” and she thanked residents for providing vital feedback to the draft budget unveiled in May.
Cr Bob Turner warned other councillors to refrain from making unrealistic promises during an election campaign.
“I too would like to have no increase (in rates) … but I’m not Santa Claus, I can’t give you that,” he said.
“We can only say we’ll work towards our promises … somebody has to win and somebody has to lose.”
Cr Turner said there were many avenues community groups could take to attain funding, including community grants.
