By ALESHA CAPONE
MORE than 40 nominees will contest the Hobsons Bay City Council elections including all seven incumbent councillors.
The municipality’s postal vote will close at 6pm on 26 October.
Mayor Tony Briffa and Cr Michael Raffoul are standing in the Cherry Lake Ward .
Cr John Hogg and Cr Luba Grigorovitch are running in the Wetlands Ward.
Crs Angela Altair, Bill Tehan and Peter Hemphill will contest three vacancies in the Strand Ward.
Among those running in the Cherry Lake Ward will be former ExxonMobil employee Maureen Short.
Last year, Cr Briffa allegedly sent three emails about Ms Short to a Mobil staff member and others.
One of the emails allegedly called for Ms Short to be sacked and accused her of attacking Cr Briffa at a public meeting about the planned soil decontamination plant in Altona.
Afterwards, a Councillor Conduct Panel found Cr Briffa guilty of misconduct and told him to attend counselling.
In addition, VCAT is due to hear allegations of serious misconduct against Cr Briffa, brought on by Cr Hemphill.
Ms Short said she decided to run for council as she was passionate about Hobsons Bay and wanted to contribute to the community on issues such as the Altona loop and Brooklyn’s toxic dust pollution.
Ms Short said if she and Cr Briffa were both elected “we would have to reconcile our differences and work together”.
“I’m a mature operator and I don’t hold grudges,” she said.
“I’m deeply and sadly disappointed the ratepayers of Hobsons Bay have to pay a bill for around $200,000 for VCAT,” she said.
“What I can see with all the controversy – and anyone watching from the public gallery can see – is that some councillors don’t work together in a co-operative way.
“There’s no need for it, it’s not necessary.”
Cr Briffa said he was concerned Star was giving his opponents “the opportunity to be heard and be promoted” without providing him with a chance.
“I have done so many things over the last four years and you only seem interested in the nonsense with Maureen Short – an issue Maureen herself described in your paper as a storm in a teacup,” he said.
