This week, all the long hours of work done for over a year by the Greerton Library Group which I am a part of, has gone down the drain in a matter of minutes. My time, along with that of Cr. Baldock, Cr. Molloy and Cr. Grainger as well as several other Council staff, wiped off just like that by other elected members who were never a part of the process.
All under the pretense of saving ratepayers money, focusing on more important matters like the recent floodings and/or the deception of spending the library money on flood works.
Dare I say deception? Heck yes. Because those Councillors who spoke against the Greerton library redevelopment know very well that the money, by resolution, CANNOT be used on any other project except the library. It is misleading to the average ratepayer that anti-library Councillors have voted to divert $1.3 million proceeds from the sale of property in Greerton to flood works. It sure is a vote-garnering, sound-good decision. It cannot happen and they know it.
In the meantime, we also have $1.8 million in development contributions (DCs) that must only go to the redevelopment of the Greerton library. This money must now be stupidly returned to the developers instead of being used to benefit a population of 45,000 including residents of the surrounding areas of Welcome Bay, Ohauiti, Oropi/Pyes Pa and The Lakes.
May I also add that members of the Greerton community who have worked hard for the new library have now been told to wait again for something that they have waited for 20 YEARS.
All this fallacy due to the politically and election-year-motivated votes of a select group of Councillors. This is selfish action with hidden agendas that have no benefit whatsoever to the ratepayers or our city. This is well-informed elected members playing on the oblivious ratepayer/voter. There is no regard for all the people who have worked so hard to put the plan together
And guess what? Members of the press were in Chambers when the sound-good words were said and the votes were put through. Sure enough they were quoted in the papers the next day.
I am gutted. Thoroughly gutted. This is what I dislike most about the politics of Council. We will no doubt see more of it as we approach the elections.
