ARARAT Rural City deputy mayor Glenda McLean has indicated she believed there can be a swift resolution a code of conduct complaint against her.
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“I just want to say to the council that I have had a productive meeting with the chief executive and the municipal monitor,” Cr McLean said at the Ararat Rural City council’s October meeting.
“I want to assure the council that my apologies were put in place for employment matters that prevented me from attending and I look forward to early resolution of the issues of the code of conduct.”
Cr McLean had been scheduled to begin the complaint resolution process last month.
Cr McLean’s comments referred to municipal monitor Janet Dore, who was appointed to supervise Ararat Rural City for a period of two years by the Victorian Local Government Minister.
Mayor Paul Hooper initiated a complaint resolution process at September’s meeting over Cr McLean’s alleged statements to the public gallery and her interactions with Ararat Rural City staff.
A state government commission of inquiry report recommended that Cr Hooper take those actions, which Ararat Rural City councillors voted to accept.
The report, which was tabled in parliament, stated Cr McLean breached the Councillor Code of Conduct in relation to two separate matters, including the search for a new chief executive.
“The Commission finds that on 2 May 2017 at the Council meeting after passing the uniform rate proposal, the conduct of Cr McLean where she turned to the public gallery and addressed it with the words “suck it up, princesses” was abusive and a breach of the Councillor Code of Conduct and Council meeting procedures,” the report stated.
“The Commission finds Cr McLean has also breached the Councillor Code of Conduct as she had no proper or sound reason to make and receive calls from a nondirector member of staff, Mr Neil Manning, about his occupation of the interim chief executive position.”