A furious Shoalhaven councillor has accused the mayor of using council’s media department to “peddle her propaganda”.
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Cr Mitchell Pakes, and two of his colleagues, Cr Bob Proudfoot and Cr Andrew Guile, were named and shamed on a Shoalhaven City Council press release for lodging a rescission motion.
“The rescission motion puts further progression of works at Bomaderry on hold,” council said via the release.
“It also delays the chance to seek large amounts of investment grant funding on offer.”
After consulting staff, Cr Pakes believes the premise of the press release was false.
“There are no grant applications open at this stage, there’s no opportunity open at this moment to apply for funding,” he said.
“I believe the mayor’s comments are misleading to the public.”
Cr Pakes pointed out council’s media department had not criticised the rescission motion lodged by Cr Kaye Gartner which delays progress on the Bay and Basin community hub.
“I am that cranky,” he said.
“To personally name three councillors was a pure political move.”
Cr Pakes and mayor Amanda Findley have opposing views about the Bomaderry 50m pool, and he suspects this was the driving force behind the press release.
Council projected adding a 50m pool to the precinct plan would add $7 million to its price tag, and cost $240,000 each year to run.
Cr Pakes said council is yet to exhaust its options on providing the Bomaderry community with a 50m pool.
He said that repairing the existing pool may be the most feasible option.
“Why not spend the money, improve the facility, that’s achievable, and far more affordable,” Cr Pakes said.
“The sporting precinct is still not funded, and will take years to complete.
“If we don’t spend money on the Bomaderry pool now, the pool will close and there will be nothing there replace it.”