Gazette
In its edition of the 25 February, 2009, the Blue Mountains Gazette ran the following story.
Vote likely on Springwood centre plans
By Damien Madigan
Voters in the Springwood area look set to go to the polls to decide the future of the town's controversial revitalisation project after councillors unanimously attempted to remove the political heat from the issue last Tuesday.
But the surprise move by Labor mayor Adam Searle has failed to quell unease about the project, with lobby group Save Our Springwood (SOS) saying council was still "putting the cart before the horse".
"SOS believes this new path to be flawed," said group spokesperson Chris Taylor.
"We remain wary and will be vigilant. However, we acknowledge this is the course that has been set (and) will work within it and try to ensure it delivers the result Springwood wants."
The new path will see council put the issue directly to the people if any of the three companies developing plans for the town — Coles, Woolworths and the Jamieson Property Group —indicate they still want to go ahead in light of the global financial crisis.
"The world economic climate has changed significantly during the last few months and before we go any further we must know if the shortlisted proponents are able and willing to continue," said Clr Searle.
"If they are, there must be meaningful input from the community as to what they want to see happen in Springwood."
The move has won the cautious backing of Ward 3 Clr Brendan Luchetti, who was elected on the back of the strong community sentiment against the revitalisation project and the involvement of the major supermarket companies.
"I commend the mayor on the work he has put into resolving this issue to the satisfaction of all parties and I believe we are now moving in the right direction," he said after the meeting.
"Anything that delivers to the people the ability to decide their own future is a good thing — it is grass roots democracy working."
But Clr Luchetti also warned he would be "vigilant in ensuring that any (poll) question is fair, valid and reliable".
"If this can be a method to resolving and removing some of the angst that has embroiled this issue from the outset, then I am happy to be part of it . . . Having said that, if indeed this turns out to be a false dawn I will move resolutely and quickly back into the darkness," he told the council meeting.
Despite backing the move for a poll, Ward 3 Clr Alison McLaren said she still hoped the process would see the construction of new community facilities like an improved library and civic centre.
"I'm pleased to see a public consultation process move forward. I think it acknowledges there is a diversity of views on this and that no one view is more valid than another. By going out (to the public) it will be a chance for everyone to have their say," she said.
Ward 4 Clr Mark Greenhill also welcomed the move to put the issue to the people.
"Sometimes we assume that because we were elected, we have an unfettered right to speak for the people, and I don't think that's true. I think from time to time on significant issues we ought to go to them directly and ask them," he said.
In its edition of the 19th November 2008, the Blue Mountains Gazette ran the following story on its front page.
Still in the Game
Bid to exclude Coles/Woolies fails at council
By Shane Desiatnik
Division and denial were the hallmarks of a round-table discussion about Springwood's revitalisation project at council last Tuesday, leaving the process at a crossroads.
Independent Ward 3 councillor Brendan Luchetti sought to rescind a resolution - adopted last March by eight votes to three - that invited Coles, Woolworths and Jamieson Property Group to submit detailed proposals for development of the council-owned northern and southern car parks and upgrade of the neighbourhood/civil centre facilities.l
Clr Luchetti called for the immediate abandonment of the tender process and the continuation of investigations into the needs of the township, community and divic facility requirements and co-ordinated consultation.
"What they (the shortlisted companies) are proposing is not acceptable to the community," said Clr Luchdetti.
"I think we are selling ourselves short if we say this is the only way to do things in Springwood."
"The intention (of the recission motion) is not to abandon the process, but to refine it, to eliminate the cancerous elements."
Clr Luchetti said the existing neighbourhood centre does not necessarily need to be replaced just because it is old.
"If that was the case, the Sydney Opera House may not still be around."
But Clr Luchetti's call polarized the council, with independent Clr Janet Mays and Greens Clrs Dave Clark, Howard McCallum and Eleanor Gibbs supporting the idea and an equal number of councilors opting to defer any decision.
Deputy mayor Janet Mays described the current process as "putting the cart before the horse", while Clr McCallum said council needs to listen.
"I want to hear from the people as the first part of this process, of the latter part of it." Clr McCallum said, applauded by Save our Springwood members in the gallery.
In the absence of Clrs Alison McLaren (who is on leave) and Chris Van der Kley (who did not participate, due to a conflict of interest), mayor Adam Searle used his casing vote to derail the rescission motion. He broke a 5-5 deadlock to carry an amendment by Clr Daniel Myles for deferral until councilors received "a full briefing" on the implications of changing the process.
The mayor later told the Gazette the vote was an important one about process and having all the information before making a decision.
Clr Myles said: "We should be fully briefed because this is a very important issue. We need new facilities, we've been asking for grants for years and we (council) don't have the money to do it."
Clrs Myles, Searle, Fiona Creed, Mark Greenhill and Terri Hamilton voted for deferral.
Labor Clr Greenhill said he has a "predisposition against private-public partnerships and there is no one Labor policy on this".
"I'm not even convinced the community is calling for all of these facilities. I haven't got the information yet to make a decision."
Other components of the amendment - disclosure of all councilor electoral returns and full attendance at a councilor induction program - struck a nerve with Clrs Mays and Luchetti.
Clr Myles justified their inclusion by saying "things have been said around the town of Springwood (about councillors' election campaign funding sources), so let's have all the cards on the table."
Clr Searle said this was "so the public can have full confidence in whatever decision council makes and that no unsavoury allegations can be made".
Clr Luchetti said "some people said that I was sponsored by a supermarket."
"I have not taken any cash from any retail outlet with an interest in Springwood."
You can read more about the rescission motion here.
