Toodyay Herald

“In a broad sense, the council has formulated its position,” Ms Haslehurst said.

It would go to a special council meeting for final approval on Tuesday August 11.

A 21-day State Government deadline was to expire on Monday August 10 but the shire sought an extension to Friday August 14 to accommodate the special council meeting.

The draft was also likely to be discussed on Wednesday August 5 when WA Local Government Minister David Templeman was due to visit Toodyay to meet councillors and senior staff at the invitation of Shire President Rosemary Madacsi.

It is understood former shire CEO Stan Scott – who moved to York last year – was also sent a copy of the inquiry draft report and is expected to respond independently.

The latest move follows a year-long inquiry by three Perth investigators into shire operations and affairs over seven years.

The inquiry was called to investigate “reasonable suspicion” that the shire may have breached local government laws.

It followed departmental criticism of Mr Scott in an official letter that he sought to withhold from councillors, prompting the heated resignation of newly elected councillor Di Granger in March 2018 amid allegations of bullying.

That incident – including a scathing email Mr Scott sent to former Cr Granger on a Saturday afternoon – is part of the inquiry.

Other matters investigated included the loss of more than $550,000 in a failed legal action against two former civic leaders, other botched shire prosecutions that cost ratepayers tens of thousands of dollars, declarations of interest by elected members, unlawful rates that had to be quashed by a State tribunal, “the culture within the shire” and “any other matter that comes to the person’s attention during the inquiry”.

The three investigators spent most of last year interviewing Toodyay ratepayers, examining shire records and questioning staff and councillors.

Ms Haslehurst said local government officials would examine the shire’s response to the draft report to decide if any changes should be made before sending it to the department’s Director General.

A final report would then go to the Minister to table in State Parliament.
Parliament is due to sit for three weeks next month, two weeks in October and three weeks in November.

Ms Haslehurst said it was likely that the final public report would also be placed on the shire website.

“My approach is to be as open and transparent as possible,” she said.

Noongar cultural adviser Rodney Garlett (above) led a traditional smoking ceremony to cleanse spirit, body and soul after traditional custodians and ancestors were respected in a traditional Welcome To Country in local language by Toodyay’s Sharmaine Miles.

A State-funded permanent display of Gnulla Moort (our family) interpretive art was unveiled by Noongar Elder Aunty Pat Davis and local Labor MP Darren West after an address by WA Planning, Land and Heritage Department Director General Gail McGowan.

Redbank Pool is about 900m downstream from Extracts Weir and is overlooked by the John Masters Bird Hide on the Bilya Walk Track which follows the Avon River from Toodyay Caravan Park to Nardie Cemetery.

The waterhole is registered as an Aboriginal heritage site.

At this month’s Redbank Pool cultural display unveiling ceremony (from left) Aunty Pat Davis, local MP Darren West, Iris Guilmartin, Rodney Garlett and Robert Miles. The permanent display was designed by Herald volunteer Sandra Harms. 

“I feel proud that this Noongar site interpretative art can now be enjoyed by all visitors,” NKAC Chairperson Robert Miles (above) said.

“It will be a lovely surprise for people walking along the Bilya Walk Track.”

Traditional Noongar families were regular visitors to the permanent waterhole in pre-colonial times according to the availability of local bush food that could be gathered and hunted across the Avon Valley’s six bonar (annual seasons).

Their diet included kangaroos, possums, ducks, turtles, fish, frogs and jilgies (small freshwater crayfish), and grasses and seeds for grinding into flour and medicinal use.

After food gathering, cooking and daytime cultural activities, small extended family groups would move back to a main camp a safe distance from the pool.

Redbank is also a significant Waugal (serpent snake) mythological site.

The Toodyay Valley has spiritual importance as a course travelled by the Waugal when making its way from Bolgart along various waterways, including Toodyay Brook and Redbank Pool, to Northam’s Burlong Pool during the hottest seasons of Birak and Bunuru.

The Gya Ngoop Keeninyara Dancers (pronounced Jaa-ngoop, meaning one or first blood) performed a cultural dance for invited guests after the opening speeches.

The Kobori (or Keeninyarra) is part of an ancient dance authentic to this area and was led by Trevor Stack.

NKAC Heritage Project Coordinator, Helen Shanks said the group was planning its next Noongar interpretive project “Gnulla Boodja, our country” at Pelham Reserve, overlooking the Toodyay townsite.

His election is likely to break a run of deadlocked 4:4 votes on key council decisions, including a secret ballot for a shire president and the council’s initial failure to get an absolute majority of five votes to enable new Shire CEO Suzie Haslehurst to start last month.

Cr McKeown helped lead opposition to plans to demolish the “Appian Way” walkway at Toodyay’s heritage-listed Catholic Precinct but has stepped down as co-organiser of the Friends of the Toodyay Catholic Precinct.

One of his first tasks as a new shire councillor will be to attend a meeting on Wednesday August 5 with WA Local Government Minister David Templeman, who was due to meet councillors and senior staff at the invitation of Shire President Rosemary Madacsi.

Toodyay councillors voted 5-3 last month (Crs Susan Pearce, Therese Chitty and Ben Bell against) to accept Mr Templeman’s request to defer a shire recommendation to approve the demolition to enable the Minister to inspect the site on Wednesday August 5.

The WA Planning Commission has approved plans by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Perth to subdivide the heritage-listed former convent site to enable the sale of five separate commercial lots.

The Archdiocese is currently exempt from paying shire rates on the land because it is owned by a church body.

However, the property will start generating annual rates revenue for the shire when the subdivision is finalised and sold for mixed business use.

The Appian Way walkway – named after an ancient Roman road – straddles separate titles for Toodyay’s St John the Baptist Church and the historic St Aloysius Convent of Mercy, which is no longer in use.

The Friends of the Toodyay Catholic Precinct and Toodyay Historical Society oppose the planned demolition.

Parishioners say they were not consulted by the Archdiocese or the council, and that a shire call for public comment on the planned demolition in the June Herald contained “misleading and incorrect” information.

Toodyay ratepayer Margaret McKeown told last month’s council meeting that there was no justification to demolish the walkway.

“The Toodyay community has nothing to gain from this proposed vandalism,” she said.
“You are being asked to permanently damage a heritage-listed property so that a property developer can maximise its returns.

“The community of Toodyay expects you to act in their best interests and put the heritage interests of the town before the profits of a developer.”

Parishioners claim the shire administration failed in 2017 to follow local heritage protection policies by approving the Archdiocese subdivision plan without putting it to the council for a vote.

In a private submission, ratepayer Larry Graham told the council last month that “its own policies, strategies and plans have all been circumvented and this appears to result from collusion with the developers”.

“In my view, the handling of this entire issue exceeds the threshold required for referral to either or both the CCC (WA Crime and Corruption Commission) or the LG (WA Local Government) Department,” he said.

New Toodyay Shire CEO Suzie Haslehurst said she was surprised by Mr Graham’s claims.

“It’s obviously an issue of great sensitivity to the community and the file is very thick,” she said in a post-meeting Herald briefing.

“I will be having a look at it and expect it will be one of the matters we will talk about when the Minister visits Toodyay.”

Mr Templeman was invited to Toodyay last month by Shire President Rosemary Madacsi to meet the new council.

Councillors received an “Avondown Presentation” behind closed doors at a July 2017 council forum at which a “Mr D Barnao” was listed as a visitor.

It was not revealed publicly that David Barnao was an Osborne Park property developer representing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Perth or that “Avondown” referred to plans for a new commercial subdivision in the shire’s heritage-listed Catholic Precinct.

The presentation was not made public and its purpose was not stated in published minutes of the council forum.

The WA Planning Commission approved the subdivision in August 2018 after former shire CEO Stan Scott used his delegated authority to endorse the new subdivision without referring it to the council for a vote.

Local parishioners say they were not consulted about the proposed subdivision.
A new plan this year to demolish the entire Appian Way walkway was later modified to remove only a two-metre section in the middle where the two land titles meet.

Shire planning policy says “heritage buildings shall be retained and conserved wherever possible as these places, in combination with the streetscape, are the main determinants of the character of the Central Toodyay Heritage Area”.

“Demolition of a heritage site should be avoided wherever possible.
“Council is unlikely to support the demolition of a heritage place based solely on the economic viability of redeveloping a site or because a building has been neglected.

“An application to demolish a heritage place must include clear justifications for the demolition …”

Former Friends of the Toodyay Catholic Precinct co-organiser Mick McKeown – who was elected to the council on July 31 – said the demolition proposal submitted to the shire showed that the Perth Archdiocese had never provided any justification for demolishing the walkway.

He sent a submission to the shire on June 30 that included an email four days earlier from State Land Use Planning Manager Rachel Riley advising that if the walkway was not demolished, the proposed boundary could be negotiated to keep it on a single title.

This conflicted with a July 2 letter to the shire from Planning Department Heritage Development Director Adelyn Siew that “the walkway is required to be demolished”.

An Archdiocese spokesperson said the subdivision was not a profit-making exercise but a genuine attempt to preserve the heritage values of the precinct.

“All appropriate approval processes were followed in the course of preparation for and completion of the subdivision works,” the spokesperson said.

“A key component of this work will be a westbound overtaking lane which has been identified as a key safety improvement along this stretch of road.

“The Shire of Toodyay is delighted that this funding allocation demonstrates the State and Federal governments’ ongoing commitment to making this road safer for the Toodyay community, visitors and all road users,” Mrs Madacsi said.

Between January 2014 and December 2018 Toodyay Road had the highest rate of fatal and serious-injury crashes within the Wheatbelt region.

The new work will reduce fuel loads in reserves, remove invasive grasses and weeds, and build and improve fire access tracks.

Toodyay Shire President Rosemary Madacsi said the shire would do as much as possible to avoid creating disturbance to residents.

“The end result will make living in Toodyay not only safer but provide our community with enhanced access to enjoy the reserves and their surrounds,” she said.

“Private landholders are reminded to be prepared for the upcoming fire season.”

The deficit will be offset this year by more than $3.6 million in external grants, subsidies and financial contributions.

However, the shire’s underlying operating surplus ratio is still well below State Government audit standards.

The ratio measures the shire’s ability to pay for its operations out of regular revenue and have money left over to fund new projects.

The council’s long-standing practice of increasing revenue by charging higher rates was postponed this year after an April decision to freeze rates, fees and charges to help relieve local economic hardship caused by the Covid-19 health crisis.

Shire budget papers show that rates revenue raised this financial year will fall about two per cent short of last year’s total.

But the total cost of shire borrowings has more than doubled to $5.9 million – mostly due to additional recreation centre costs.

Loan repayments for all shire borrowings this year will total $600,000, of which more than half will be for the recreation centre.

Ongoing annual shortfalls prompted auditors Moore Stephens to warn the council in June last year of a “significant adverse trend” in shire finances since 2016.

This year’s ratio shows a three-fold worsening of that trend with a budgeted operating surplus ratio of minus 34 per cent.

Last month’s council meeting adopted eight recomendations concerning various parts of the shire’s 2020-21 budget with a mostly unanimous 7-0 vote (Cr Ben Bell absent and one seat vacant).

The only dissenter was Cr Paula Greenway (pictured left at last year’s ground-breaking ceremnony for Toodyay’s new $14 recreation precinct) , who raised her hand against the final motion when Shire President Rosemary Madacsi asked councillors if there were any objections to adopt the budget as a whole, including financial statements, notes, supporting documents and schedules.

The recommendation was moved by Cr Phil Hart, who spoke briefly in favour of it and praised shire staff for putting a “huge amount of work” into preparing this year’s budget for adoption.

His motion was seconded by Cr Therese Chitty, who chose not to speak.

Cr Greenway remained silent when President Madacsi asked if there were any speakers against Cr Hart’s motion.

When her name was called by President Madacsi, Cr Greenway said “I don’t wish to speak”.

The motion was carried 6-1 with Cr Greenway voting against it.

She declined next day to respond to a Herald email when asked to explain publicly why she voted against the budget.

New Shire CEO Suzie Haslehurst was not involved in preparing this year’s budget, which the council adopted last month on only her second day at work.

She said it was a near break-even budget with virtually no surplus – “there’s no fat in it”.
“This will be the case for the next few years,” she said.

“We won’t have any ‘play money’ for big new things.

“Staff have been told to be vigilant about costs and we have to be very cautious about how we approach things.”

Ms Haslehurst said shire service levels had been reviewed and four positions were made redundant for a cost saving of about $600,000.

Budget papers show planned rates revenue of $6.3 million and a nominal surplus of $1.1 million, which includes grants, subsidies and contributions from external sources.

However, operating costs will exceed regular shire income by $2.6 million, largely due to recreation centre costs and large annual loan repayments that are set to continue for the next 20 years.

“We need to be very pro-active about obtaining new grant funding but don’t have sufficient financial reserves to provide matching funds,” she said.

“Our priorities this financial year will be roads, maintenance and upgrades, drainage and footpaths, and paying down loans.”

Ms Haslehurst said she expected construction work on Toodyay’s new recreation centre to be completed by the end of September and the new public swimming pool open in time for the coming summer season.

The shire has advertised for a “suitably qualified operator” to manage part or all of the new recreation precinct including the swimming pool, sports grounds and other facilities.
Tenders close at 2pm on Wednesday July 8.

Ongoing divisions also blocked an initial bid last month to secure an absolute majority of five votes to allow new Shire CEO Suzie Haslehurst to start her new job on June 22 instead of having to wait until mid-August.

The shire has lacked a full-time CEO since February, including during the recent virus lockdown, staff cuts and an emergency budget based on no increase in rates or fees and no extra charges for late payments.

Cr Brian Rayner (left), who nobody voted for in 2017, declined a Herald request to explain – with three other councillors unusually absent – why he didn’t want the new CEO to start earlier, saying it was “confidential”.

The three candidates seeking to fill former shire president Bill Manning’s seat say they all want change.

All three have professional qualifications and business skills – one is a former university business lecturer and shop owner, two have local farming experience, one is a former WA regional city administrator, and another provides financial advice to miners.

The winner is expected to break an impasse between four new councillors elected by all Toodyay voters last October and three longer-serving members who were re-elected two years earlier under a now abolished ward system that excluded most Toodyay voters.

The shire is also awaiting the outcome of a long-running WA Government inquiry into its operations and affairs over seven years.

A WA Local Government Department spokesperson said State officials would soon ask people named in the inquiry to respond to the findings before WA Local Government Minister David Templeman tables a final report in State Parliament.

Candidate April Ashley (right) posted on Facebook before last year’s elections: “I hope that sanity prevails and that the moment the new councillors take their seats, there will be no more CEO or President ‘issues’ and that the residents of 2J will be able to relax knowing that their rates will be fairly evaluated and spent wisely. Vote well folks.”

Ms Ashley – who has worked as a university business lecturer and operated small businesses, including a coffee shop and educational company – says she has no personal agenda, supports open and accountable government and that a vote for her in this month’s election will be a vote for transparency and integrity.

She said she had lectured in accounting, finance and management for 30 years at nearly all WA universities, private colleges and TAFEs and is a “positive thinker who believes in working together to achieve positive outcomes”.

“I have no personal agenda and if elected I will be your representative and your mouthpiece,” she said.

Rival candidate and Hoddys Well farmer Keith Boase (left) says “it has been disappointing to see continuing frictions within the council which is operating in a manner that causes harm to the local government and residents of the area”.

“I believe strong governance with the best interests of the residents of our shire can be achieved only by electing experienced people who will commit to providing sound decision-making without fear or favour,” Mr Boase said.

“I understand the commitment and workload involved to offer a new, independent voice to the council chamber that will bring vision and stability to restore balance in Toodyay.”

Mr Boase is a former Shire of Quairading landcare coordinator, former Agriculture Department Kalgoorlie acting district manager, former City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder environmental coordinator and manager of sustainability and waste services (including WA’s largest sewerage system outside Perth), and is currently Parks and Gardens Coordinator at the City of Swan.

The third candidate, Toodyay Central Volunteer Bushfire Brigade Captain Mick McKeown (right), says Toodyay is at a crossroads ‒ “this election provides our community with a chance to decide whether to continue with the divisions of the past or to change things for the better in the future”.

“We have significant challenges ahead and our council badly needs people who can analyse and understand complex laws, regulations and policies,” he said.

“I am not (and will not be) aligned with any group on the council and this will allow me to liaise closely with all my fellow councillors to achieve the best outcomes for the community of Toodyay.”

Mr McKeown – who is a leading member of Toodyay’s Friends of the Catholic Precinct – holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology, a Masters Degree in Engineering Science and an Agricultural Management Diploma, is a Perth Royal Show award-winning local olive oil producer and is a financial analyst for Australian and overseas mining companies.

His nomination was publicly endorsed by Crs Therese Chitty and Paula Greenway who ‘liked’ it last month on the popular Let’s Talk Toodyay page on Facebook which has more than 4400 members.

Toodyay voters should start receiving candidates’ statements, ballot papers and voting instructions in reply-paid envelopes at their postal addresses early this month.

Anyone who misses out can call the WA Electoral Commission on 13 63 06.

The Toodyay Progress Association will host a free ‘Meet the Candidates’ public forum at the Toodyay Community Centre in Stirling Terrace (next to Alma Beard Medical Centre) at 7pm on Monday July 20.