Tonight’s council meeting was largely a series of self-congratulations on everything from GESAC, to quarterly reports, to VCAT decisions. We will report in detail in the days to come, but these are the ‘highlights’.
- Burke referred to a ‘joint letter’ signed by 243 residents complaining about the Kooyong Rd/Alma Rd intersection ‘trial’. Strangely enough, every councillor who spoke referred to this as a ‘petition’ – not a ‘joint letter’. Confusion reigns supreme we guess!
- Several councillors finally admitted that the GESAC basketball courts were currently under-utilised. This was attributed to the fact that the season hadn’t started properly as yet. The question still remains – does this mean that the Warriors are not meeting their end of the bargain and that ratepayers are subsidising this tender? It also begs the question of how long will this subsidy continue and how much revenue is being lost?
- Since no councillor reads the blog we’re told, it must also be sheer coincidence that Tang picked up on our citing of the VCAT member’s decision regarding Etna St and the fact that State policy over-rides Council policy which refuses to classify Glen Huntly as a Major Activity Centre
- Esakoff reported on the MAV conference where she focused on motions that impacted on Glen Eira. Pity that residents were kept in the dark as to council’s position on any of the motions. Surely the decision(s) on Council’s position on each motion weren’t taken in Assembly meetings since that would be illegal, wouldn’t it? Or did Esakoff simply vote on her own accord without consulting other councillors first?
Glen Eira Debates 
May 23, 2012 at 8:24 AM
any mention of our good friends of the residents of Glen Eira – The MRC?
May 23, 2012 at 12:30 PM
There was no mention of the MRC except in passing – ie on discussion of Glen Eira parks and their No 1 rating. Penhalluriack noted the VCAT objection and how one resident was delaying this but also stated that Council did not do as well as it should have in its dealings with the MRC on this issue.
May 23, 2012 at 3:01 PM
I am annoyed that Frank would blame one resident for delaying the agreement. The MRC agreement was for a number of things, the centre of the racecourse was one but what about the fences? These should have been replaced with pallisade per the agreement months ago. Now that the agreement has mysteriously disappeared from the Council website and it is no longer mentioned in Council meetings, does this mean it is not going to be enforced. What a waste of time the whole C60 process was. Why not just let the state does what it wants like in China. At least we wouldn’t be wasting peoples time.
May 23, 2012 at 8:16 PM
Why does Penhalluriack need to comment on the MRC/Glen Eira Council agreement? He was Winky popped from the Racecourse Committee. How about the Councillors who were on the Committee and signed off on the agreement start commenting. Pilling, Hyams, Lipshutz and Esakoff who signed off on the agreement need to start providing the community with some answers – and they only have 5 more months to start doing it.
May 23, 2012 at 5:33 PM
Stop mentioning the agreement with the MRC. Don’t you realising you are bullying the CEO. The lawyers are going to love this.
May 23, 2012 at 1:08 PM
A petition of 243 – that’s very impressive – it must be a big issue for the residents and businesses around the intersection.
Having once submitted a petition to Council only to have it accepted then ignored, could you please tell us what Council did with this. I’m guessing lots of meaningless resident placating words which ended with something along the lines of “nevertheless, the show must go on”.
May 23, 2012 at 8:58 PM
200 people turned up and spoke to the last racecourse committee meeting over a year ago. Fat lot of good that was. Pilling and the gang ran roughshod over residents, did what they wanted to do and we haven’t see the committee since.
May 23, 2012 at 5:01 PM
Seems the Council will be carrying the basketball side of GESAC for a while yet! This quote attributed to the Warriors General Manager: “Will be prouder when we have the place bouncing in a few months. Was so busy with interested people in there today. Open age is filling up so quickly. The place will be going gangbusters in the Summer!” 12 May at 23:05
No domestic competition of note. Graded referees are as rare as hen’s teeth.
At least the carparking isn’t a problem with the courts being so empty.