Maroondah councillor Samantha Marks “on the mend” after missing almost a year of meetings due to health issues
MAROONDAH councillor Samantha Marks received her $25,000 councillor allowance last year despite attending only one monthly meeting due to illness.
Outer East
Don't miss out on the headlines from Outer East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MAROONDAH councillor Samantha Marks received a $25,000 allowance last year despite attending only one meeting due to illness.
The situation has prompted Ratepayers Victoria to call for tighter rules on councillors receiving allowances if they are absent for long periods.
Cr Marks, who is serving her second term on council, attended the February 2017 meeting before requesting leave to deal with health issues.
The council granted her two three-month periods of leave from March-October and she was an apology for all other meetings last year.
Under the Local Government Act, a councillor can lose their job if they miss four consecutive monthly meetings without prior leave granted.
Cr Marks returned for the February 2018 meeting but has since only attended a short meeting for the council’s 2018-19 draft budget last month.
Fellow Mullum Ward councillor Mike Symon told Maroondah Leader Cr Marks was ”on the mend” and her health was improving.
“The good thing with having multi-councillor wards is other councillors can help out when these things happen,” Cr Symon said.
“She (Cr Marks) had a really hard year last year and I hope something like that never falls upon me.”
Ratepayers Victoria vice president Frank Sullivan said Cr Marks should not have received her allowance last year despite being ill.
“We respect her illness and have great sympathy, but she’s not doing what she’s elected to do by the ratepayers,” Mr Sullivan said.
“It’s an allowance for her to do her duties through the ward, and she hasn’t been doing that, so she really shouldn’t be getting it.”
In a statement, Mayor Nora Lamont said it was mandatory for the council to continue to provide Cr Marks with her allowance under the Local Government Act.
She said Cr Marks had not breached any meeting attendance requirements and the council had handled her health issues “with compassion” by granting leave.
The council understands Cr Marks intends to continue in her role for the foreseeable future.
Cr Marks did not return Maroondah Leader’s calls for comment.
Disgust as neo-Nazi group hatches plan to run for parliament
A neo-Nazi group that wants to “expel all Jews from Australia” is trying to become a political party so it can contest the federal election in a move labelled a “nightmare come to life”.
Controversial Blackburn towers proposal hit with more delays
Council approval for proposed twin residential towers in Blackburn has been further delays as neighbours voice concerns about the controversial proposal.