Toowoomba deputy mayor vote: Councillor’s claim as decision handed down

A secret letter co-signed by a faction of four councillors over issues they had with the renewal of CEO Brian Pidgeon’s contract has led to an uproar within the chamber.

The fight for Toowoomba’s deputy mayoralship has further calcified the divisions within the council, with Tuesday’s contest marred by a councillor’s stunning claim that the organisation’s current leadership team “wasn’t working”.

Rebecca Vonhoff, who topped the councillor vote at the 2020 local government election and would normally have been endorsed for the role of deputy mayor with that achievement, again failed in her bid to win the position in a 7-4 vote against incumbent Geoff McDonald.

This was a worse result for Ms Vonhoff than the 6-5 split at the initial meeting of council in April 2020.

Deputy Mayor Geoff McDonald and councillor Rebecca Vonhoff.

Mayor Paul Antonio brought forward the vote at the ordinary meeting after receiving word Mr McDonald had resigned as deputy mayor to facilitate the vote, with the latter then delivering a speech outlining his credentials and performance in the role over the past two years.

But after Mr McDonald finished speaking, councillor Nancy Sommerfield requested to ask a question before launching into a stinging rebuke of the current leadership.

“This current style of leadership is not working,” she began.

“We’ve had two years for it to change for the better, and since I’ve been on this council since 2012, it hasn’t.”

Toowoomba Regional Council election 2020 candidate Cr Nancy Sommerfield speaks at a forum hosted by the Toowoomba Chamber at Burke and Wills Hotel, Thursday, March 12, 2020. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Ms Sommerfield was cut off by the Mayor, who said he was “disappointed” at the remarks.

Ms Vonhoff made her appeal, focusing on the tradition that had been broken and making note of the mayor and Mr McDonald’s friendship.

“Is this the council that respects a fair and reliable process as essential to good governance and for the community to have confidence in what happens at City Hall,” she said.

“We all know that councillor McDonald and councillor Antonio are extremely close – cut from the same cloth, peas in a pod.

“But being close mates shouldn’t determine what goes on in council.”

Ms Vonhoff earned support from Ms Sommerfield, Bill Cahill and Melissa Taylor, with the rest endorsing Mr McDonald as mayor.

Mr McDonald was nominated by councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan, whose comments attacked the tradition established by previous councils.

“I have never believed the deputy mayoral position should be awarded via popularity contest,” she said.

Toowoomba Regional Council CEO Brian Pidgeon.

CEO VOTE RESURFACES AS TENSIONS GROW OVER SECRET LETTER

The reappointment of Brian Pidgeon as the Toowoomba Regional Council’s CEO has again sparked a massive spat within council, with a faction of four councillors signing a secret letter over issues they had with the process of his contract extension.

Councillor Rebecca Vonhoff brought forward the confidential letter at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting, co-signed by colleagues Bill Cahill, Nancy Sommerfield and Melissa Taylor, which was addressed to Mayor Paul Antonio about the March vote on Mr Pidgeon’s future.

All four had been the only votes against Mr Pidgeon’s contract being extended.

Ms Vonhoff said the contents of the letter were confidential, asking it to be put on notice as business arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

It sparked outrage from the other seven councillors, none of whom were made aware of the letter’s existence until it was introduced.

“I find it very offensive that this wasn’t shared with others. — this is not playing as part of a team,” councillor Carol Taylor said.

“This is completely and utterly disrespectful of the process we align ourselves to and the culture we adhere to,” deputy mayor Geoff McDonald said.

Councillor Tim McMahon accused the four councillors of “grandstanding”, something that was heavily rebuked by Mr Cahill.

The council eventually voted to move the consideration of the letter to a confidential session.