By Bridie Byrne
WHEN first appointed to the position of chief executive, Peter Marshall said he wanted to become a warrior for the City of Wyndham.
He was determined to lobby both Federal and State governments for an increased share of funding to help ease the infrastructure pain that comes with being Victoria’s fastest growing suburb.
But just 14 months later, the warrior was slain.
After weeks, if not months of unrest and concern, nine Wyndham councillors met the weekend before last to make what would be one of their most important decisions.
Star has been told that mayor Shane Bourke and his deputy Heather Marcus, after receiving legal advice, summonsed their CEO to a meeting during the afternoon of 3 August and delivered the blow. The warrior had been terminated.
For the last decade, Wyndham Council has enjoyed a professional reputation. A conservative and efficient council, Wyndham was the envy of the West.
But the wheels began to fall off in June when the council began its annual budget process.
What had previously been a routine exercise had become messy, undisciplined and divisive.
It was the CEO Peter Marshall’s first Wyndham budget.
He came to the municipality with 13 years’ experience as the CEO at Wodonga. Residents there noted he left behind a legacy of high rates and its council at least $26 million in debt.
But the writing was on the wall when Star publicly revealed last month the council’s long-term rates system.
There was also much angst amongst councillors over the way in which the proposed 2009/10 budget was handled.
The initial draft budget presented to councillors outlined a brutal 11.3 per cent hike in general rates – an amount no politician could attempt to sell to their constituents, particularly in the midst of a heaving economy and a global financial crisis.
A divided council voted six-three in favour of the rises that Mr Marshall said would help fund new infrastructure to keep pace with Wyndham’s growth over the next 10 years.
Crs Bourke, Marcus and Cynthia Manson stood firm in their opposition and opposed the increases.
Cr Bourke said at the time the onslaught of rate increases would be felt among young families.
“People still have problems paying last year’s rate let alone the addition to this year’s rate as well,” he said.
Cr Marcus held grave concerns for residents and businesses.
Behind the scenes, councillors were gnashing their teeth as more than 40 submissions were made from livid anglers, businesses and retirement villages opposed to the hikes.
Councillors demanded a review of the figures they had been initially given and after much persistence, what they found was an additional $32 million in revenue from the Refuse Disposal Facility that would enable them to slash the proposed budget to a more acceptable 8.95 per cent overall rate rise.
It was a community backlash the council had rarely experienced. Heads had to roll. The warrior’s days were numbered.
