Glen Hartwig, Bob Fredman speak on Gympie council online poll result

Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig says he “echoes” concerns raised about his council in an online poll about how it performed in 2022, and how each councillor performed individually.

The Gympie councillors given the best grade and worst grades in our online poll about the council’s 2022 performance, Bob Fredman and Mayor Gken Hartwig, have had their say on the results, and whether they were justified.

Mayor Glen Hartwig says he “echoes” concerns raised about Gympie Regional Council in an online poll in which less than a third of respondents gave the organisation a passing grade.

Mr Hartwig, who himself received a passing grade (C or better) from 40 per cent of participants, the lowest among the nine councillors, said the results of the online poll were not a surprise.

It was in contrast to Mary Valley councillor Bob Fredman, who was rated a pass or better by 59 per cent of voters.

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Mr Fredman was one of two councillors given a pass (C) by more than half of voters, with Dolly Jensen awarded a C or better by 52 per cent of participants.

Bruce Devereaux (46 per cent gave him a C or better), Jess Milne (45 per cent, Dan Stewart (44 per cent) and Deputy Mayor Hilary Smerdon (44 per cent) were closely split for third.

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Councillor Bob Fredman was “not surprised” by council’s grade in the online poll, which follows on the heels of a “tough term” that included floods and the continued fallout of the Covid pandemic.

Shane Waldock (42 per cent), Warren Polley (41 per cent) and Mr Hartwig (40 per cent) rounded out the final tier.

The council as a whole was less popular, with less than one third of voters (32 per cent) giving it a passing grade.

It follows a year riddled with controversies ranging from the shock departure of its CEO in January to contentious pay battles with staff and unions which prompted a march through the CBD.

Mr Hartwig and Mr Fredman each said they were unsurprised by the council’s overall grade.

“The last couple of years has seen some really difficult situations for our community and for this council,” Mr Hartwig said.

“Three major weather events and a pandemic have meant slow progress on a couple of fronts, particularly around road maintenance,” he said.

Mayor Glen Hartwig said he was not surprised by the council’s results in the online poll, for which only one third of voters gave it a passing grade (C or better).

“No council has faced the level of flood damage that we have seen last year.”

However, he said the council’s financial situation was “healthy” and “I think it’s important to point out council and the organisation are just in much recovery mode as the region is”.

“It is far easier to make change when you have money to do it,” Mr Hartwig said.

“We have firstly had to repair the finances before we can go and look to develop and improve the regions assets.”

Mr Fredman said “none of us likes being condemned like that, but it’s reality”.

His view of his own grade was simple: “How embarrassing”.

“I never think about popularity, it’s dangerous stuff.

“There’s no joy in being the least unpopular councillor.”

Mr Fredman said he still had not “got far yet” with his big election promises like having the Mary Valley Rd upgraded or the Amamoor to Imbil Rail Trail built.

Gympie Regional Council was at the centre of controversy in 2022, with its troubles including contentious pay negotiations with its staff and unions.

“I may have had a little success with having safe hands in the circumstances, and common sense,” he said.

“Not that either helps much when things are forced upon us by nature, or by higher levels of government.”

“This has been a tough term, with our ability to get things done as a council severely compromised first by Covid, then floods, and now the enormous task of getting the road network back in order.

“And I won’t add the legacy issues that have dogged us.

“Unfortunately, in my opinion because of the above-mentioned setbacks, we’ve got some way to go until we will be able to be as good as we and most staff would like us to be.”