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The long goodbye: Lighthouse keepers Tony and Prue Sheers bid farewell after two decades manning the light. Picture: Yanni ‘Keepers farewell light on the hill’ Page 11
Shire told to make councillor repay costs Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire officers have been instructed to seek repayment of thousands of dollars alleged to have been overspent by Cr Antonella Celi. In an at times fiery debate, councillors last week agreed that Cr Celi should repay the money allocated to her under her entitlements for confer-
ences and seminars. The motion to pursue Cr Celi for the money was carried on the casting vote of the mayor Cr Graham Pittock after councillors were deadlocked five-five. Cr Celi left the chamber during the debate and vote. Although the original motion put Cr Celi’s overspending at $12,520 the final wording called on her to repay “any sum in excess of the sum of $19,500” on her conferences and seminars account. The latest figures given
to council puts Cr Celi’s spending at $28,520. Councillors are generally allowed up to $4000 a year during their fouryear term, although some extra money is allowed for the mayor. Cr Celi was mayor in 2013-2014. Two days after the vote, Cr Celi told The News that although the motion seeking repayment had been passed, “I do not know the next step. The CEO [Carl Cowie] and [shire] officers will need to check its legal validity”.
“I didn’t receive any of that money in my account. It was all paid through officer’s delegation or with council approval and resolution”. The original notice of motion put by Cr Hugh Fraser to council’s Tuesday 26 April meeting also included a call for Cr Celi to repay costs of legal advice from Maddocks, Lawyers sought by council at her request in March. Although not released publicly, it is understood the advice from Maddocks cast doubts on the shire’s ability to re-
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claim money from councillors. However, this demand for payment of Maddocks’ fees was dropped, as was an earlier notice of motion from Cr Fraser for council to meet the legal costs surrounding conflict-of-interest action in 2012 by the Local Government Investigation and Compliance Inspectorate against Cr Pittock. Cr Fraser would not tell The News why he withdrew the move for the shire to pay Cr Pittock’s legal bills. Continued Page 6
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