Public confidence in Griffith City Council’s ability to serve the city appears to have plummeted in recent months after a succession of high profile incidents,
the most recent of which saw mayor Dino Zappacosta adjourn a meeting due to disruptive behaviour, only to reopen it about 40 minutes later last Tuesday night.
Addressed to the Minster for Local Government, the petition states, “We the under signed request the Griffith City Council be replaced by an Administrator, we believe it is no longer representing the community or its needs.”
The petition has been organised by local man Lance Perry, the founder of Griffith Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (GRRA), who said people were sick of the infighting up at council.
“People have had enough. It can’t go on as it is,” Mr Perry said. “This petition is a feeler to see what the mood of the town is. I’ve put the first one out at the East Griffith Newsagency and if people want to put their name and their signature on there it will certainly be going to the Department of Local Government.”
One person prepared to sign the petition is local stock and station/real estate agent Ron Spencer, who said the council’s forebearers would be “turning in their graves” at the current disharmony among councillors.
“The way they’re carrying on up there is not in the best interests of ratepayers and I think an administrator needs to be brought in to sort things out,” Mr Spencer said.
“We’ve had some brilliant people up at council over the years who were able to put the best interests of the public ahead of their own, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.”
Doug Curran, the current president of the GRRA, said although the group did not support the petition to throw out all 11 councillors, it thought activities warranted an investigation.
“We do support the Department of Local Government coming down and investigating the council but at this stage we’re not calling for the entire council to be thrown out and an administrator put in, no,” Mr Curran said.
“Calling for all councillors to be sacked is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.”
In response to news of the petition circulating the community, Cr Zappacosta said he believed it was a strong message to councillors to get their act together.
However, he said the suggestion that the council was not carrying-out its business was incorrect, and laid the blame for that perception squarely at the feet of five councillors.
“Since (the five councillors) are making their feelings about me public, the community is hearing only their side of the story and as a result there is a strong perception that there is disharmony, discord and that council is certainly a rudderless ship at the moment,” Cr Zappacosta said.
“But how I see it, I’ve had to be extra strong, extra focused and extra vigilant on making sure that we all get through our agendas, deal with reports, deal with Development Applications and deal with the issues before council.”
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