A COUNCILLOR clash marred Monash Council’s monthly meeting last Tuesday, with a disagreement about a $90,000 allocation in the 2011-12 budget.
Councillors Denise McGill and Geoff Lake butted horns over the funding allocation for the Oakleigh Cannons Soccer Club.
Cr McGill said the club did not deserve the funding as it had not paid its ground rental fees on time. She voted against the budget, which was eventually passed 6-1.
Cr Lake said it was ridiculous that CrMcGill would vote against a budget of more than $100million for the sake of $90,000. He then suggested that Cr McGill was targeting the club because she “has a problem with Greeks”.
Cr McGill refuted the claim and said she was only concerned with the club’s finances.
Councillors Stephen Dimopoulos, Stefanie Perri and Jieh-Yung Lo also spoke out against Cr McGill’s vote.
The council received 19 submissions on the draft budget, presented at April’s meeting.
Of those, 15 submissions were against the proposed $45,000 funding for privacy curtains for the Clayton pool to allow women-only swimming classes.
Councillors McGill and Tom Morrissey voted against the curtains but were outnumbered.
■ The council unanimously rejected an application for a two-storey apartment block at 311 Blackburn Road, Mt Waverley. Councillors declaring it an overdevelopment, out of character with existing houses. They said it would adversely affected nearby properties and did not provide enough space for planting trees.
■ The Strengthening Clayton and Clarinda project will consider establishing a Men’s Shed in Clayton South in the next year. Project workers have chosen a City of Kingston building as a possible site and will seek funding. The City of Monash already has a Men’s Shed at Bogong Reserve, Glen Waverley.
