Councillors who walked out on Cultural and Civic Space vote disciplined

“I won’t be accepting any money.” A GoFundMe campaign has been launched for the four who had their payments suspended for two months for walking out of a meeting in 2019.

Councillor Paul Amos will not be accepting any money from the GoFundMe campaign set up to support him and three of his colleagues.

Cr Amos along with Crs Tegan Swan, John Arkan and Keith Rhoades, were found to have breached their code of conduct by walking out of a meeting on the controversial Cultural and Civic Space in 2019.

The four have had their fees suspended for two months.

The GoFundMe page has been set up by Robert Trezise and has so far raised over $2,700 of a $16,500 goal.

A recent anonymous donation of $1,000 could be problematic given the rules on political donations and loans set out on the Office of Local Government (OLG) website.

Either way, Cr Amos is taking no chances.

“I won’t be accepting any money but I am really appreciative of the gesture being made.”

He said he was “amazed” that it took two years for the matter to be resolved and took exception to some of the wording in the OLG ruling which labelled the walkout a “stunt”.

“But I am just going to continue to do whatever I think is for the greater good of the community.”

Absolutely devastated

Coffs Harbour City Councillor Tegan Swan is devastated by the disciplinary action being taken against her and three other Councillors.

“My initial reaction, to be honest, was that I burst into tears. I was absolutely devastated,” Cr Swan said.

Cr Swan, along with Crs Paul Amos, John Arkan and Keith Rhoades, were found to have breached their code of conduct by walking out of a meeting on the controversial Cultural and Civic Space in 2019.

The four have had their fees suspended for two months.

“It amounts to a severe fine – almost $5000. There were several other actions that could have been taken that were less severe and would have involved professional development.

“How is this supposed to help us do our job by not paying us. We are already severely underpaid as it is.”

She says the matter has been ongoing ever since the walkout occurred and that Council initially hired an independent investigator to see if there was a case to answer.

Two meetings in July 2019 were disrupted.

A Council representative would not say who launched the initial complaint but provided the following statement.

“Council referred these matters to the Office of Local Government in accordance with the Code of Conduct which is required by the NSW Office of Local Government Model Code of Conduct.”

Meanwhile Robert Trezise has launched a GoFundMe page to help pay their fees.

“They have been unjustly punished for representing the solid majority of Coffs Harbour residents and ratepayers. It is unjust that they should be penalised for doing so,” the funding page states.

“The Councillors may choose to accept their share of funds raised, or if they reject them, the funds will be donated to the local charity, Pete’s Place to assist the homeless of Coffs Harbour.”

Walkout “premeditated” and “deliberate”

The four Coffs Harbour City Councillors who famously walked out of a crucial meeting on the Cultural and Civic Space are facing disciplinary action.

It comes after the Office of Local Government ruled their actions in July 19 when they walked out of a meeting were “premeditated” and “deliberate” and in breach of their code of conduct.

Now Crs Paul Amos, John Arkan, Keith Rhoades and Tegan Swan are facing disciplinary action and have had payment of their fees suspended for two months by OLG Coordinator General Kiersten Fishburn.

Crs Paul Amos, John Arkan, Keith Rhoades and Tegan Swan (at the right) have often voted against Crs Denise Knight, Sally Townley, Michael Adendorff and George Cecato on the project.

“[The conduct] is improper and unethical and inconsistent with the duties and obligations expected of an elected representative,” Ms Fishburn stated.

“Council has incurred both productivity loss and economic loss as a result of [the] actions. The penalty reflects this economic loss.”

Ms Fishburn said it serves as a warning to all councillors in NSW not to engage in conduct intended to prevent the proper or effective functioning of their council.

Mayor Denise Knight at the second meeting which did not go ahead in July 2019.

“Council meetings are a vital democratic function where councillors deliberate upon and determine important matters on behalf of the community.

“While I acknowledge the community and councillors can rightfully become emotive and passionate about issues, denying an official council meeting of a quorum does not serve anybody’s best interests.

“While the council is denied a quorum at meetings, all business on the agenda is in limbo and no formal decisions can be made on behalf of the community.”

The Gordon St building, now estimated to cost over $80m is currently under construction and due to be complete by the end of next year.