Hello, I attended the Debate you coordinated last week in Kiama, I found it helpful. Many facts were uncovered as to the process, outcomes and 'what ifs'. I suggest there is a wonderful opportunity for The Bugle to develop a FAQ to assist the public get their head around this before the vote with balanced understanding. CheersName supplied

Dear Bugle Editor,The Council has responded on their webpage regarding the Bluehaven Terralong Independent Living Units. They stated their appreciation for a good story and mentioned the library is full of them. Personally, I always check which section I am in—Fact or Fiction.I served as the Maintenance Manager for Terralong from 1999 until recently. Despite the Council's continuous assertions that they are not seeking to divest Bluehaven Terralong, inconsistencies persist. After a vote to retain Bluehaven Terralong, a Council Officer was heard telling clients, "We are preparing Bluehaven Terralong for sale."Furthermore, I learned of a "Plan B" from a Council Officer, which involves selling Stages 1, 2, and 3 of Bluehaven Terralong separately from Stages 4, 5, and the old Aged Care Home—again, following the decision not to divest Bluehaven Terralong.The sale of units is to be conducted via email. Many potential buyers have inquired, only to be informed that there is nothing available. Council mentions other complexes coming online, but these are generally priced beyond the reach of the average local resident, making them hard to sell.Most residents bought into Bluehaven because it was a community initiative, started by the community for the community, and importantly, it was Council-owned and operated. This was a major factor in their decision.The long-term Manager was replaced by a highly experienced and competent individual. However, the working environment was intolerable, leading her to leave for a larger organisation.Council claims there are 17 units empty, plus 4 being renovated. My estimate of 23 empty units was based on information from March when the Maintenance Manager was told that renovations would start in three months. This coincided with the end of the financial year. The current renovations are on the lower-priced units, one of which has been empty for nearly a year. Personally, I would have prioritised mid-range units around $800,000 to $1 million, which could have been turned around in 6-8 weeks. Local tradespeople, who prioritise Bluehaven, would have completed the work promptly under the Maintenance Manager's coordination. I understand that some Stage 5 units require extensive waterproofing and fire rectification work, recognising that renovations are more than just cosmetic.Council also claims a high number of transfers, aligning with the industry average of 10% per annum for a 200-unit complex, equating to 20 units per year. When Terralong residents move to the BH Care home, the Council internally transfers sufficient funds to cover the accommodation bond. This is a policy decision, not a requirement, and applies only to our Care Home. With the sale of Boniara, this bond is transferred to the new owner, potentially skewing the financial appearance of different parts of the business, especially with Independent Living Units sitting idle.It is probably known that there are plans to sell the Leisure Centre and the Minnamurra waste depot, contradicting the original promise to focus on the “3 R's”: Roads, Rates, and Rubbish. Privatization often leads to increased fees for the community, as I have been told.Name Supplied.

Dear Editor,Reading about the recent anti-wind farm rally in The Bugle took me on a nostalgic journey down memory lane. Remember when powerlines first appeared, and we all thought our beautiful landscapes were ruined forever? Or when coal mines popped up like unwanted party crashers? Our initial reactions were much like the current uproar against wind farms—full of fear and scepticism.The placard reading "This Will Not Blow Over" at the rally perfectly captures the sentiment of resistance to change. It's as if we haven't learned from our past experiences! Barnaby Joyce, with his colourful (if somewhat crude) comments, and other high-profile speakers certainly added a dramatic flair to the proceedings. But, dare I say, their rhetoric might be better suited for a soap opera than a serious discussion about renewable energy.We humans are funny creatures, aren't we? We bristle at anything new, only to embrace it later on. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, we'll be giving directions based on the wind turbines—“Turn left at the third wind turbine and you’ll find the best coffee shop in town!”

Through your paper, I would like to again put questions I put over a week ago to the General Manager of Kiama Council. I have obviously had no response from that quarter, hence I am attempting to obtain some response via your publication. The questions surround the payment of commission on the sale of Blue Haven Bonaira, and presumably paid or slated to be paid to Stuart Brown Advisory. Your readers may recall that when the subject of the sale of Bonaira was first promoted by the General manger to Council, she was directed to seek a report from an 'independent' consultancy, on whether Bonaira should be retained, leased or sold. Not surprisingly, that consultancy came back to Council with a resounding affirmation that selling was the only option. Surprisingly, an adjunct of that firm that supplied the advice to 'sell', was engaged to handle the sale process. Conflict of interest? Not according to our Council boffins! So in the interest of transparency, I believe it is fair to ask the questions – how much will Stuart Brown Advisory be paid? And will that commission be on the $95million sale price trumpeted by Mayor Reilly; or will it be on the $26million, which I understand is the amount of cash that will actually change hands? I think it reasonable that all residents/ratepayers know the answer to these questions.Allan Holder

Dear EditorIn the age of social media, everyone’s a commentator, sharing hot takes faster than you can say "viral." Yet, with Google at our fingertips, offering endless scientific research, why do so few of us dig deeper? Take the recent XY controversy at the Olympics: debates over athletes' chromosomes have sparked fierce online discussions. But instead of turning to trusted sources, many opt for knee-jerk reactions. Why? Perhaps it's the allure of instant validation over meticulous fact-checking. Imagine if we all paused to Google before posting—our feeds might look a lot more informed. Next time we weigh in on the latest hot topic, especially one as nuanced as the Olympics' gender debates, why not arm ourselves with facts? It's never been easier, or more necessary, to do a little research before joining the digital chorus.Lynne Strong

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to The Bugle for organising the recent information session on the debate over the election of our mayor in Kiama. This Q&A session was an invaluable opportunity for residents to engage with the critical question of whether our mayor should be elected by the council or directly by the community.Panel member 1 opened the Q&A session with gratitude, emphasising the importance of public participation. Panel member 2 highlighted the necessity of community education and encouraged us to consider the practices of other councils. The call for more information clearly resonated with the audience, eager to understand the implications of each option.An audience member asked a question that was clearly front of mind for many people regarding the financial difference between the two systems which led to an important clarification: holding a referendum would cost about $24,000, with an additional $20,000 per election if a mayor is directly elected. This sparked further discussion on the value and efficiency of both models.The session also covered the potential political influence and stability within the council. Some panel members warned of the risks of political parties dominating mayoral elections, while others pointed out that internal council politics could disrupt governance if the mayor is elected by councillors.Leadership effectiveness was another key concern. Another panel member highlighted the challenges of removing an ineffective directly elected mayor, which could involve a lengthy and costly process. However, supporters of direct elections argued that a mayor chosen by the people would be more accountable and focused on community priorities.Importantly, the session underscored the dangers of assuming that the questions and comments from the floor represent the overall feeling in the room. While the Q&A provided valuable insights, it’s crucial to remember that the vocal few may not capture the diverse opinions of our entire community. Making assumptions based on these voices can lead to misinterpretations and overlook the silent majority's perspectives.Overall, the importance of having a mayor who can unite the council and effectively address community needs was a recurring theme. The debate revealed that both systems have their pros and cons, and the decision ultimately rests with the informed and engaged citizens of Kiama.Thank you, The Bugle, for facilitating this essential conversation. As our community continues to weigh the options, it’s clear that this debate is about more than just the title of mayor. It’s about ensuring that our leadership reflects the values, needs, and aspirations of Kiama’s residents.Yours with gratitudeEngaged Kiama Citizen

I'm glad you asked! M$40 that's 40 million of your and my own ratepayer funds Kiama Council staff (they assure us past staff) and Councillors have overseen the loss of during the Blue Haven Bonaira debacle. Surely, no way, you've got to be kidding, haven't we just sold it for M$95? Read and analyse the 222 page Forsyth Report dated 28 June 2022, adjusted for net settlement proceeds, and tell me I'm wrong (in round numbers, give or take a few million here and there because, who really knows) and remember full settlement does not take place until over two years from now so the pain will not fully go away on the so-called settlement date of 1st November. Something for you to contemplate when next paying your rates, complaining about something council has not done or will not do - or is that just me - or re-electing councillors who have been in place over the period from conception to completion of build. Dennis Robertson

Kiama council has in their wisdom decided to cease funding the Sharps Disposal Unit Service as of the 1st of August. This service provided free sharps containers to the Kiama community, as well as provision of bins in local pharmacies for collection and safe disposal.  From the 1st of August there will be nowhere within the Kiama LGA for residents to take their sharps for safe disposal. The nearest drop off point will be Shellharbour hospital. We have gone from best practice to worst practice. I have major concerns about how sharps will be disposed of going forward, and suspect we will see increased dumping of sharps in public waste collection and red bins. I have voiced my concerns with Jane Stroud at council. I have put forward alternate suggestions, that council should as a minimum consider continuing to accept community sharps returns at the recycling depot in Minnamurra. I would be more than happy to continue collecting them on councils behalf, and even drop them off to the recycling depot. This I believe would address most of the issues, however I was informed that Council had made their decision, case closed. I have lobbied Gareth Ward on this issue, but thought the Kiama community need to be made aware. Hopefully we can persuade Council to reconsider its decision.Concerned Kiama resident

After visiting the council recycling centre at Minnamurra it felt like an episode of “Yes Minister.” I needed to use some polystyrene, for a raised garden bed. Rather than contributing to the production and waste of this product, by purchasing it, I headed to the recycling centre. I thought what better way to recycle waste than to reduce the waste left there and take it home to use. Alas, this was not possible! No waste products can be taken to be reused. Isn’t the recyclable waste left there meant to be recycled? The reason was OH&S. How can my health and safety be at risk by taking some polystyrene but no problem with leaving it there? Bureaucracy gone crazy!Frustrated Kiama resident

Bugle under fireBecause I read an article in The Australian about how the Bugle newspaper was being investigated for bias, I read the newspaper. It is surprisingly well-written, well informed and topical. Congratulations on an excellent newspaper!Michael SweetCQUniversity

Opinion by Allan Holder, KiamaSo, a return to the rate payers of $26 million is lauded by Mayor Reilly as a wonderful outcome for the community {sale of Bonaira}. Well Mayor, did you ever think of it in these terms - obviously your General manager didn't! The land you have just given away is worth conservatively $50 million - conservatively - nice windfall for Hall and Prior there! Now if you had have just sent the bulldozers in and demolished everything {including Barroul House}, the demolition costs may be $10 - $15 million, flog the land off for our supposed $50 million, and hey presto, the return to Council would have been at least $35 million - nearly $10 million more than our genius General Manager was able to achieve. As for pursuing the builder, well if that is not shutting the gate after the horse has bolted, I don't know what is? In the inimitable way of most building companies in this country, if they look like losing, they will probably just go into liquidation to avoid any liability, and emerge rebranded as someone else - and the rate payer will be forced to pay yet more legal bills - what a fabulous prospect we are facing, and well done to all concerned!

For the third time in as many weeks, the volunteers who look after Peace Park in Manning Street, arrived last Tuesday to find more of the rose bushes had been stolen.This selfish illegal act deprives all residents from enjoying in coming months the rose display n the park.As we are about to commence this seasons planting , we have halted this while we seriously consider our future involvement with caring for the park. It seems pointlesspurchasing new rose bushes just to have them stolen.Most of us who volunteer do not live near the park. We do not have the enjoyment of seeing it every day. We only enjoy the park during our weekly working time there.Among the latest roses removed was a rare miniature donated by the late Robert Curll and a Pierre de Ronsard donated by Elizabeth Burnett to replace an earlier stolen one. If the Rose Bushes in Peace Park continue to be stolen thereseems little point in continuing with the Volunteer work in Peace Park.Colin HollisCoordinator, Peace Park Volunteers

Responsible Future (Illawarra) is excited to announce an upcoming rally against offshore wind in the Illawarra on Sunday the 28th of July at Reddall Reserve from 11am. The event will feature speakers such as Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ted O’Brien, Independent Shellharbour Deputy Mayor Kellie Marsh, Lobster Fisherman Mark Horne, local community members and local politicians across the political landscape. Following the recent announcement of the Illawarra wind farm zone, it is clear that the Labor party has let down the Illawarra community despite their years of loyal support. Responsible Future urges the Illawarra community to come together and resist this project in Labor's Stephen Jones' seat of Whitlam. Minister Bowen and our local Labor representatives failed to take on the community’s concerns. Let us demonstrate to them the 65 percent of the community that rejected this project. We refuse to witness the industrialisation of our oceans, which would harm local industries like Commercial Fishing and Tourism. Tourism in the Illawarra alone employs 15,000 individuals, generating $2 billion in annual revenue and seeing 5 million visitors a year. We will not permit the government or foreign companies to ruin our coastline for profit, funded by significant taxpayer subsidies, including the running of transmission lines through Lake Illawarra and Killalea. This proposed energy plan lacks thorough consideration and fails to make economic and environmental sense. Join us in defending our coastline, our communities, and our future. Let us show the Labor and Greens party that we will not tolerate the exploitation of our environment for a large scale experiment. Together, we can stop this project with a change of government. Event Details:Date: 28 July 2024Time: 11amLocation: Reddall Reserve Lake Illawarra, 1 Reddall Parade (South side of Windang Bridge, ocean side) For further information, please reach out to Responsible Future (Illawarra) at www.responsiblefuture.com.au Let us stand united and fight for what is right. Thank you for your support.  Mr Alex O’Brien

I would like to offer a sincere thank you to readers who gave to The Smith Family’s Winter Appeal.In recent times, charities have been significantly impacted by the rise in the cost of living, affecting the number of donors able to give, while increasing the number of those needing support. The Smith Family has certainly been no exception to that trend.In terms of donations, we were facing a 40 per cent shortfall with just a few weeks remaining during our Winter Appeal. But thankfully, we were very fortunate to receive some generous support from the public and our fundraising target was reached.Donations from supporters will make a world of difference to 17,200 students experiencing disadvantage. Each will be able to receive the extra help they need during the final terms of school this year.Our ability to deliver our flagship education support program Learning for Life, that assists almost 63,000 young Australians nationwide, depends on your donations. And they really do make a difference.Just this week we received an email from a student to the people who had sponsored her through Learning for Life. She had had just graduated with a Bachelor of Science and was writing to thank them.“Please accept my sincere gratitude for your belief in my potential and for your unwavering support throughout my educational journey and believing in us students that need the extra support,” she wrote.“Your generosity has inspired me to strive for excellence and to give back to others in the community.”This is a real demonstration of how education enables children experiencing disadvantage to create opportunities that change their future and equips them with the tools and knowledge to successfully navigate our increasingly complex world.Thank you again to all those who supported The Smith Family.Doug TaylorCEO of The Smith Family

Dear Bugle- always look forward to your balanced coverage about what is happening around the place- god knows what KMC would be up to if we did not have you to shine a bit of light on things- they dont seem to care anyway! have been laughing out loud .... and shaking my head when reading the issue this morning- WTH is going on .... again! .... dodgy stuff bout blue haven terralong st, leakings of ICAC referrals, more $ legal costs no doubt etc .... and thats ignoring the "confidential" smoke and mirrors around the supposed sale/giveaway of BH Boniara - as usual its reading like a mix between a soap opera (a poor one at that) and a 3 Stooges episode (sorry to insult the 3 Stooges)- cant believe that they have dodged an apppointed Administrator over ALL THIS TIME!!!- yes i agree THE LOT NEED TO RESIGN - keep up your good work- cheersP. Potts.

It is of concern that some of your correspondents have as much financial expertise as the former Counsellors and staff who created the current financial crisis in KMC. Whilst the provision of retirement living facilities for local residents is an admirable cause, these facilities are increasingly complex to manage and costly to run. And the sponsoring Council and Councillors require considerably more financial expertise to manage than two decades ago. A more fundamental issue is whether Councils are best placed and sufficiently competent to establish and manage these facilities. Furthermore, Kiama is a small municipality that lacks the revenue streams to offer other than basic services. Over the past 2-3 years the Council has been presented with expert financial analysis and recommendations from both the Office of Local Government and its local Finance Advisory Group which they have chosen to reject. These recommendations, if accepted, would require courage and foresight to implement and Councillors’ solidarity to persuade their stakeholders of their necessity. The forthcoming Council elections may have influenced their lack of courage to take the tough decisions that are required to rescue our Municipality from administration. The solution must incorporate sharp cost reduction measures: staff and capital works reductions. This potentially unpopular step must be accompanied by raising revenue without selling assets, as directed by the Office of Local Government. As a last resort a special rate variation can be applied for but this does not resolve the fact that our costs are not covered by our revenue. Once again the Councillors kicked this challenge into the future when the problems might miraculously disappear or become someone else’s problem. That’s the day when the sun will rise in the west! These initiatives appear unpalatable. Clearly some residents oppose the sale of Blue Haven and other assets. Some blame the current CEO. Few seem willing to go back to the perpetrators who set up our Council to fail. Even fewer seem to acknowledge the effort and expertise put in by the CEO and her staff to analyse and diagnose the root causes of our poor financial position and to propose solutions that would enable KMC to recover. Whilst some of the current criticisms are well meaning, they are misguided. It’s time to put the facts before emotional responses to a situation that involves us all. Roger R Collins Gerroa 0408276430

Saddle Back Men's Table EntreeTuesday 20th August 2024The Coach Room at the Berry Pub6:30 pm for 7:00 sharp - 9:00 pmhttps://themenstable.org/saddlebackentree-tue-aug-20/The Men’s Table creates a unique, safe environment for men to share openly about their lives, their challenges, their highs and lows. Over dinner once a month, the proven format creates a sense of belonging, community, peer support and camaraderie that is lacking for many men, even for some who already have a group of mates.The Men’s Table entrée nights are information nights where men can find out if The Men’s Table is for them. There is one coming up in our area and interested men are encouraged to register to come along and experience the benefits that hundreds of men across the country enjoy every month.Find out more on The Men’s Table website or use this link to registerThere are space limited to 16 so please book your spot at the tablehttps://themenstable.org/saddlebackentree-tue-aug-20/Once you've been to the Entree', you'll be clearer about whether you'd like to be part of starting a new local Table, and we can help you with the relevant next steps.Visit the website to find out more – www.themenstable.org

On Friday 12 July 2024, I registered my interest to speak at Kiama Municipal Council’s public forum against Motion 20.3 (p.188). The motion, if succesful, will commit Kiama Council to formally referring The Bugle to the Australian Press Council regarding concerns with its ownership and reporting practices. By Council’s own admission, this motion is based entirely on rumours it is yet to provide any evidence to support.With two hours until the meeting began, I was informed by CEO Jane Stroud that I had been refused my right to speak based on the potential for myself and Kiama Councillors to damage the ongoing complaints handling process into their conduct.I was disapointed and confused as to why I had been rejected based on a hypothetical scenario, especially considering I had gone out of my way to write my speech in a way that abides by all of Council’s policies.After directly appealing to Jane Stroud to reverse her decision, I was informed that my appeal would not be considered as I had publicly disclosed the reason for the initial rejection.Regardless of Kiama Council’s continued attempts to police the voices of the community, I will publish what I had planned to say if I was allowed to speak at the public access forum on 15 July 2024.As I’m sure Councillors are aware, I was the senior journalist at The Bugle but have not worked there since March 2024. I have no allegiance to my former employer, but as a lifelong Kiama resident and professional journalist of 8 years, I’m in a unique position to be able to speak out against this motion.This motion, as well as Motion 19.3 from the 21 May 2024 meeting which brought us here have nothing to do with transparency or accountability from local media.While both of these motions are disguised as genuine questions regarding the potential for bias, Kiama Council failed to provide any context as to its own conduct and the complaints it has received from The Bugle since its change of ownership in April 2023. The motion passed on 21 May stated that its purpose was to foster a constructive relationship between The Bugle and Kiama Municipal Council.How does referring The Bugle to the Australian Press Council over these frivolous concerns translate into a constructive relationship?These issues have been presented to Kiama Council as complaints, and as such, it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss in this forum as the complaints handling process continues. However, I don’t need to discuss these issues publicly, given that Councillor Croxford has proven the motives behind this current motion through his ongoing use of social media, including referring to his dissenters as “lazy”, “uninformed” and “insignificant mental pygmies”.I have included some of the highlights of this conduct for Councillors (see below). What’s particularly concerning is Councillor Croxford’s repeated leading questions, asking “Who is pulling the strings behind The Bugle.”It implies existing misconduct based on rumours without providing any actual evidence. The equivalent would be if The Bugle published an article titled “Who is pulling the strings behind Councillor Croxford?”I’d like to remind everyone that the 21 May motion was passed four days after The Bugle called for Mayor Neil Reilly and CEO Jane Stroud to apologise for instigating the invalid censure of Councillor Renkema-Lang. Rather than even attempting to reflect on its actions, Kiama Council ramped up the existing pressure on The Bugle, which has led to the embarrassing situation Council will find itself in if it passes this current motion.In my opinion, rather than focusing on its precarious finances, Kiama Council’s modus operandi is to shift blame to everyone else, from unions to the Greens Party, to Councillor Renkema-Lang, and of course, The Bugle.To the remaining Councillors who haven’t committed to this frivolous crusade against The Bugle yet, I’d like to ask why you think The Bugle hasn’t responded to the pressure Council is heaping on it? Rather than taking any criticism onboard, Kiama Council instead labels this content as “anti-Council.” Kiama Council seems particularly aggrieved by The Bugle’s “Blow Your Bugle” column.The column is an outlet for the community to voice their concerns. If there were any submissions that would be what you would consider to be “pro-Council”, they were published. But during my tenure, we only received about two or three of these comments.By passing this motion, Kiama Council will in essence attempt to police the thoughts of the community, not just the Bugle’s staff who work and live here.It’s also more than likely to drag Kiama Council into another long and expensive legal battle, which I, nor any of you want to see happen again.I’d ask you to please reflect on your own actions and consider this could be the reason for what you perceive to be “anti-Council” content before assigning blame to local media.To CEO Jane Stroud, I’d like to ask if you could expand on the complaints Kiama Council has made to various media authorities, press councils, and The Bugle up until March 2024. Why is it only now appropriate to make this referral a public motion when Kiama Council has been aware of who owns The Bugle since at least April 2023?I’m hoping that by voting against this motion, this can be a turning point for Kiama Council where the blame game ends and everyone starts taking accountability for their own actions, rather than pointing the finger at everyone else.To reiterate, these are my opinions only. I don’t speak for The Bugle. I am doing this because I want to see my local representatives finally take some accountability.Thank you for your time and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

Well there you have it folks. Kiama Council has voted to refer The Bugle to the Australian Press Council 6 – 2, with Councillor Croxford, Brown, Steel, Larkins, Draisma and Reilly voting in favour, and Councillors Rice and Renkema-Lang against.If you’ve never watched a Kiama Council meeting before, the way things usually go is that the male Councillors are allowed to say whatever they please, but if a female Councillor says something the Mayor doesn’t like, he’ll interject before they’re finished speaking.The meeting on 16 July 2024 was no different, featuring Matt Brown accusing the Sustainable Communities Committee of not doing their work. Seems Matt is excluded from Council’s rule about making public comments disparaging staff.Mark Croxford was also allowed to deliver his re-election campaign material in response to a motion, again without challenge, and was even given an indulgence to speak beyond the allotted three-minute time limit he himself implemented. When it was time for the debate on The Bugle motion, Mayor Neil Reilly allowed Mark Croxford to continue defaming The Bugle, even going as far as to accuse the paper of participating in “cash for comment.” This, of course, went unchallenged, as Neil waited for Councillor Renkema-Lang to start speaking before interrupting. Councillor Rice and Councillor Renkema-Lang were the only Councillors to speak against the motion, raising concerns about Mark Croxford’s real intent behind the motion, and how it could possibly translate into a positive relationship with The Bugle. Despite Councillor Renkema-Lang asking about these motives, Neil decided to ask his own question about which owners Mark’s motion referred to, letting him off the hook in the process.What was particularly disappointing to see was Stuart Larkins’ vote, as I genuinely believed his previous representations that he was an ally to the local media. I know now this is not the case, though I’ll temper my expectations next time when it comes to career politicians who are only interested in towing the Labor Party line.Concerning but not surprising was listening to CEO Jane Stroud deliver her own sob story about people claiming she is from Queensland to try and sway Councillors’ decision (Jane worked for various councils across Queensland between 2004 and 2021 before working for Kiama Council.) What’s become clear is that the CEO herself is much too personally invested in taking down The Bugle to include herself in this debate. If anyone should have recused themselves from the room, it’s Jane.From misleading the public about calling the police on protesters, to instigating invalid censures against Councillors, to damaging an ICAC investigation by disclosing Councillor referrals, Jane Stroud has shown through her personal and professional actions that she is unfit to continue in the role of CEO.Kiama Council is now committed down an authoritarian path more akin to a banana republic than a small regional town in New South Wales. We deserve better than to be served by Councillors who realistically wouldn’t be allowed to work at a fast food restaurant. We deserve better than having Councillors who call their constituents “lazy, mental pygmies” on public forums. And we deserve better than a CEO who has failed her basic duty to protect the community as well as the Councillors, except for her buddy Mark, of course.14 September 2024 can’t come soon enough.By Brendon Foye