From the minutes –
Crs Esakoff/Lipshutz
1. That Council appoint Fimma Constructions Pty Ltd, ACN 101 232 320 as the contractor under Contract No. 2014.036 Duncan Mackinnon Pavilion New Building including Civil Works and associated Landscape Works and demolition of existing facilities at Duncan Mackinnon Reserve, Murrumbeena for the sum of $8,185,711.67 (GST incl.) in accordance
with the terms tendered.
2. That a Contract be prepared in accordance with the Conditions included in the tender.
3. That the Contracts be executed in an appropriate manner including by affixing of the Council Seal.
4. That this resolution be incorporated in the public minutes of this Meeting.
The MOTION was put and CARRIED.
Since the public who are forking out the $8 million are once again being kept in the dark like mushrooms, we can only speculate as to what is going on with what is fast becoming the disaster of Duncan Mackinnon Pavilion. Residents deserve to know:
- Will what is currently standing of the Maxstra work be demolished? If so, what does this do to time lines for completion of the pavilion?
- How much has Maxstra been paid and is this amount IN ADDITION to the new figure of eight million?
- Is there more legal argey-bargey going on, and how much is this costing?
- Why is every single major project under this regime always late, and seemingly always running into problems? What does this say about our decision makers?
- And, since the decision was ‘carried’ and therefore NOT UNANIMOUS what were the reasons behind the contrary views?
Glen Eira Debates 
June 12, 2014 at 8:58 PM
Don’t worry, Neil Pilling on 8 April 2013 on his website promised regular updates on the progress of Duncan McKinnon which he would personally oversee. How on earth did this bozo become Mayor (or is that a prerequisite?).
June 13, 2014 at 12:01 PM
This was delayed from the start. Way back in 2011 there were excuses being made.
June 13, 2014 at 5:18 PM
I drive past most days. Nothing much is happening and there’s no way this will be finished in 2014. If they demolish then another 12 months to go at least and what an almighty stuff up
June 13, 2014 at 8:03 PM
Stuff ups are the norm in Glen Eira. Give Newton another five years.
June 12, 2014 at 10:41 PM
Glen Eira, would you know who voted Pilling to be a Mayor? He was kept aside from being a mayor for many years. Why now?
June 13, 2014 at 11:02 AM
Pilling was the only option for mayor
June 13, 2014 at 1:56 PM
How is a Mayor selected?
June 13, 2014 at 3:33 PM
Five votes and the ok from the gang. Sorry Lobo and Magee
June 14, 2014 at 3:37 PM
Who were the 5 votes that made Pilling a Mayor? The gang would never do anything without (MODERATORS: rest of sentence deleted)
June 16, 2014 at 9:40 AM
You only have to look at the events from the election of the Pilling as mayor. Lipshutz deputy mayor, Pilling no longer a green. Pilling votes along with the gang. The gang needed to control the council in this an election year. Neil is looking after Neil. The gang is looking after business.
June 12, 2014 at 11:08 PM
anon, ring the mayor or email him and ask for a person update, then put the reply on this blog
June 13, 2014 at 10:18 AM
Great Job!. Athletics didnt need this pavilion. All they needed was some shade and somewhere to put equipment, The old pavilion was fine the way it was. Lots of injuries to athletes because of condition of the track and numbers falling because of the mayhem these works have created. Ath Victoria meets no longer held there and lots of cancelled meets. All so some councilor can have their name on a plaque.
June 13, 2014 at 2:00 PM
Very true. It is indeed a waste of money. All the Councillors are dumb. Pilling should be made accountable because he committed to oversee it personally. Pilling the Marshmello? Souness is like OKotell both are follower of Pilling and Esakoff. What is Lobo and Magee upto?
June 13, 2014 at 5:43 PM
From my perspective the most disappointing aspect of this entire fiasco is the manner in which it has been handled. Rather than keep residents up to date on what is happening and how their hard earned cash is being spent, I can’t remember reading a single official word coming out of the mouths of councillors or officers. It’s only because of the vigilance of a site such as this that a bare inkling of goings on is made public. I’m also sure that if council could legally avoid such disclosures they would, or if they could keep the unfinished pavilion literally under wraps, they would attempt this also. That has been the ongoing story within Glen Eira and I believe will continue to be for as long as Newton remains in charge and he has the full backing of what is rightfully called “the gang”.
Other people have already written about Pilling’s empty promises of keeping people informed. Now that he is mayor, the promise becomes even more important and his inability to live up to his words blackens his name all the more.
June 13, 2014 at 10:58 PM
Keep residents up to date, you gottta be off your head – remember the delayed GESAC opening!!!!!.
GESAC was a $45m project (as opposed to a pissy little $8m) that nobody wanted (in line with the Duncan McKinnon “upgrade”). In the case of GESAC the pre-summer opening date was delayed until pre-winter. The delay announcement being made at virtually the last minute. Throughout the GESAC delay period Council adopted a stay silent, occasional leaks to the media only policy. A bloody good policy from a Council point of view (especially as the initial one months delay stretched into months) but a piss poor one from ratepayers or signed up GESAC members point of view.
So why should anyone be surprised that the relative insignificance of the Duncan McKinnon project means Council would do anything but skip the occasional leaks and focus on a stay silent policy. This equates to business as usual for this Council. While it totally disregards Council’s responsibility to govern in an open and transparent manner, if those unfortunates (you and me) who are footing the bill don’t give a shit why should Council.
June 13, 2014 at 8:51 PM
Can this Council do anything right? From an incompetent audit committee to a Machiavellian CEO to irrelevant Councillors. Talk about a new broom.
June 13, 2014 at 9:11 PM
Plus one
June 14, 2014 at 3:39 PM
What is plus one?
June 15, 2014 at 9:33 AM
Means that I wholeheartedly agree with the proposition put forward by the previous commentator.
June 13, 2014 at 10:44 PM
From the minutes of 22nd May 2012
Crs Pilling/Lipshutz
1. That Council appoint Maxstra Constructions Pty Ltd
ACN 144 590 438 as the contractor under Contract No. 2012.026 Duncan
Mackinnon Pavilion New Building including Civil Works and associated
Landscape Works and demolition of existing facilities at Duncan
Mackinnon Reserve, Murrumbeena for the sum of $9,744,651.52 (GST
incl) in accordance with the terms tendered.
2. That a Contract be prepared in accordance with the Conditions included
in the tender.
3. That the Contracts be executed in an appropriate manner including by
affixing of the Council Seal.
4. That this resolution be incorporated in the public minutes of this
Meeting.
DIVISION
Cr Penhalluriack called for a Division on the voting of the Motion.
FOR
Cr Esakoff
Cr Lipshutz
Cr Lobo
Cr Magee
Cr Pilling
Cr Tang
Cr Hyams
AGAINST – Cr Penhalluriack
June 15, 2014 at 9:38 AM
Gee didn’t Penhalluriack know how to pick them. He has that Commercial sense that is sadly lacking on this Council.Wish he would come back.
June 18, 2014 at 4:32 PM
I don’t.
June 14, 2014 at 11:35 PM
There was no great need to UPGRADE Duncan McKinnon, just to improve the existing pavilion. Reminds me of upgrades to the new high-tech toilets, when the old ones needed just to be properly maintained at a much less cost. The whole thing “stinks” to high heaven ad no one cares, because it is not their money. If the officers would have to pay from their own pockets you would see different actions and decisions. As it is they are spending mine and yours money money with no accountability or responsibility. Yak.