LETTER: Pay rise too much

Last Wednesday's Tribune gave details of the general manager's four-year contractual renewal with a salary increase of $32,000 and, if that is his entitlement, then good luck to him.

It seems, however, to be a very generous increase as all things are relative, the increase is actually more than my own annual Old Age Pension. I am also reliably informed that Council is running a half-a-million dollar debt going forward for the Operational Budget year of 2014-15 and this obviously includes the GM's salary increase!

My personal dealings with the general manager have been cordial and, at his suggestion, we have had an informal meeting to discuss our points of view which was very much appreciated.

However, Gareth Ward, who has been involved in other Council administrations, makes the point that some Council bureaucrats were being paid more than the Prime Minister of the time, Julia Gillard, and in total were collectively racking up executive salary bills of $150 million.

The point was made that some general managers were pocketing annual salaries of almost $400,000 across the state's 152 councils and Local Government executive Ward has said that money would be better spent on delivering key services to ratepayers.

Ward is quoted as saying that, "Ratepayers are right to question whether they are getting value for money and whether money could be better spent on front-line services, rather than paying for bigger and more expensive bureaucracies."

I am unaware of the Council's fiscal arrangements but there is a regular response from them that money is tight and that there are some important matters which can't be given the attention they deserve.

It is not only in expenditure, however, that I have questioned the Yass Valley Council's workings but also the apparent arrogance in its dealings with Yass ratepayers and I wrote a couple of weeks ago alluding to many unresolved issues that Council should be getting on with such as equitable road improvements, spending of the funds which apparently are still available for the Park and Ride facility, proposed Sale Yards issues, the Crisp Galleries closure, the state of our water, management of trees on Comur Street and the continuing saga of the Liberty Theatre - and so it goes on!

There is much that our Council owes to its ratepayers who have a right to expect top service in areas where it is presently sorely lacking.

PS. Last Friday's lead story, "Yass water unsafe", from Paul Humphries must cause some serious doubts regarding the general manager's recent assurances that our water is safe and that manganese is the main problem with it. According to Mr Humphries, there's much more to it than this - so watch this space for developments!!!

Brian Millett

Yass