Dear Beagle Editor,
In the latest round of CSBA local government rankings, Eurobodalla Shire Council came in at 10th place out of a field of 35 participating councils. In a matter of three months, we have slipped from 1st place to 10th place. So what happened? Has our award winning team dropped the ball? Of course not, they are just as courteous and efficient as always.
Is it a coincidence that our ranking came in at 1st place just before the general manager’s contract renewal? Does it come as any surprise that this item was buried in the budget papers that the newly formed councillors signed off on but had no knowledge of?
Council has now entered into another 12 month contract with CSBA at an annual cost of $46,000 to the rate payers. So, over a 5 year period, council will have spent $230,000 on a mystery shopper program. It’s not as if the ratepayers in Eurobodalla can simply choose to do business with a ‘competitor’ if dissatisfied with the serviced delivered by ESC. If this goes on for a further three years then the total spent will amount to a staggering $368,000 – money that could be spent on benefits to the community.
The question remains: Is Council spending our money wisely? Makes a joke out of the ‘Citizens Jury’ process, how could they possibly know if they are not aware of where our money actually goes.
Coral Anderson (name not withheld)
