Readers vote on North Burnett 2022 performance

Mayor Lex Hotz has responded to some surprising results in a poll on the 2022 performance of the North Burnett council and its individual councillors.

Readers took the chance to grade the North Burnett Council and its councillors.

Residents of Central and North Burnett have taken advantage of the opportunity to provide feedback on the North Burnett Regional Council’s 2022 performance and the results are in.

The year was not without controversy from the fallout of the shock exit of the CEO to ongoing financial struggles, but the council fought for its citizens after lashing the then Queensland Deputy Premier over a floodwater “photo opportunity” after federal funding to the region was slashed.

The council as a whole, and each of the councillors were given a grade of between A (highest) and E (lowest).

As a whole it appeared readers were satisfied with the council, with 51 per cent of readers grading it at C or higher.

However, it seemed voters were happy to share their dissatisfaction with some councillors - 68 per cent of voters gave Susan Payne an E.

Susan Payne, Mayor Lez Hotz and Melinda Jones.

Melinda Jones proved the most popular councillor, with 78 per cent of voters giving her a C or better, 63 per cent of those votes grading her an A.

Mayor Lez Hotz appeared equally popular, with 63 per cent of readers grading him at a C or more, 42 per cent of those votes giving him an A.

Mr Hotz spoke out on the poll and its results and said “from where I sit, our role as councillors is not one of competition with one and another but rather team effort for the betterment of our community.”

He expressed frustration at the restrictive nature of council legislation and how the general community may perceive council actions.

“Legislation is restrictive and where the public may assume that Council can carry out its operations without prior planning or insufficient funds, it is simply not able to do so,” he said.

When speaking of the results of the poll grading the council as a whole, Mr Hotz said while he was not surprised at the results he would have been comforted by a higher grade.

“I am not surprised because the majority people surveyed including community and ratepayers are not privy to most of the challenges faced to this council and other councils,” he said.

It was no secret the coucill faced many challenges in 2022, and Mr Hotz elaborated that struggles to find senior staff, navigating financial pressures and the extra burden of natural disasters had contributed to the struggle among ongoing issues with infrastructure and waste management.

Final results

Lez Hotz: 63 per cent graded this councillor a C or higher.

Melinda Jones: 78 per cent gave her a C or higher.

Kingsley Mesner: 40 per cent graded a C or higher.

Susan Payne: 22 per cent gave her a C or higher.

Dael Guddins: 63 per cent gave a C or higher.

Michael Dingle: 62 per cent gave a C or higher.

Robbie Radel: 44 per cent graded him a C or higher.