Whittlesea mayor threatens legal action against State Government monitor
Fresh controversy has emerged over the move to sack scandal-plagued Whittlesea Council as its mayor threatens legal action against the municipal monitor who made the recommendation.
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Whittlesea mayor Emilia Sterjova is threatening legal action against State Government monitor Yehudi Blacher after he recommended the scandal-plagued council be sacked on Monday.
A legal letter seen by the Leader, showed law firm Clyde & Co requested Mr Blacher withdraw a number of damning allegations about Cr Sterjova from his interim report.
In a February 17 meeting between the two, Mr Blacher allegedly told Cr Sterjova she had “failed to uphold her responsibilities as mayor”.
It followed her “culturally offensive” use of a Star of Vergina flag, which she posted to Facebook.
The move sparked outcry from the Greek community and tensions between Macedonian supporters and the council.
Mr Blacher alleged the tensions then spilled into council chambers at a February 4 meeting, with Cr Sterjova failing to discourage the unruly community members.
Cr Sterjova claimed Mr Blacher would not accept her explanations for the “false” accusations, which would cause her “significant reputational damage”.
Clyde & Co requested Mr Blacher confirm the allegations be withdrawn by March 20, or else Cr Sterjova would “reserve all her rights”.
The Leader made repeated attempts to contact Cr Sterjova, but she did not respond.
In an email, Cr Sterjova claimed she was a victim of “Labor Party politics”.
“Unfortunately, some men never thought I was capable to take on the role of aayor as a young 23-year-old woman or that Alahna Desiato was capable to be our deputy mayor as a 26-year-old woman,” she wrote.
“They were bitter that I wouldn’t bind with them in the Labor caucus and agree with decisions that I didn’t believe were for the best interests of our community.
“They have been relentless in shaming the council and myself in the hope of having us dismissed and now their wish is likely to come true.”
Victoria minister for local government Adem Somyurek was contacted for comment.
Mr Somyurek will introduce a bill into parliament today to sack Whittlesea Council.
WHITTLESEA’S 30 DAYS OF SCANDAL
Whittlesea councillor Norm Kelly said he was relieved he would not have to return to a “toxic and combative” workplace.
He said the council needed to change.
“It’s just a Labor Party sub-branch,” he said.
“You’ve got six councillors that form the majority in an 11-councillor format so it’s always going to be what Labor wants and not the community.”
Cr Lawrie Cox said the council took “a turn for the worse” when Cr Sterjova breached caucus solidarity by accepting a non-Labor vote to help elevate her to mayor — an act she was later expelled by the Labor Party for.
“Self-interest and ego took over,” he said.
“Councillors started bullying each other, pointing fingers at each other, bullying staff, attacking their professional opinions and we weren’t delivering projects and community services.”
Cr Tom Joseph said there were issues “left, right and centre”.
“Sacking the council was the only solution in the end,” he said.
State Labor MP for Yan Yean Danielle Green said the chaos lasted until the night Mr Blacher handed down his interim report on March 16.
She said the council made a decision to “stay home because of coronavirus fears” instead of meeting to discuss the 2020-21 council budget.
“They are local leaders and instead of devising an emergency management plan and health and wellbeing plan they decided to stay home,” she said,
“This recommendation closes a chapter on a disgraceful period of governance in the city of Whittlesea.
“A small portion of councillors treated the council like it was their own play pen and ratepayers came last.”
Ms Green said there were 25 staff on stress-related leave at the same time over the past three months.
“It’s unconscionable — I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said.
Municipal Association of Victoria president Coral Ross said the allegations against Whittlesea Council were “concerning”.
“The behaviours identified by the monitor at Whittlesea are not representative of our local
government sector,” she said.
Once the council is dismissed administrators would be appointed until at least the 2024 general elections
An interim administrator will be appointed in the meantime.
“Now the work begins to restore public confidence in the council, so that the Whittlesea
community can enjoy local services, programs and infrastructure and return to a
democratically elected local council in 2024,” Cr Ross said.
Whittlesea Council could not provide any comment until the bill had passed through parliament.