On Wednesday the 25th November in an Ordinary Meeting of the South Burnett Regional Council, four of seven Councillors;  Cr Gavin Jones, Cr Roz Frohloff, Cr Danita Potter & Cr Scott Henschen voted to increase expenditure by $2.5 million for the Kingaroy Transformation Project and to press ahead immediately with the now approved $13.9 million project.

The amended motion, passed by four votes to three, read:

That Council

• Adopt the design in principal for construction as presented
• Approve project with $13.9 budget, including contingency with the additional budget to come from funded depreciation and restricted cash over the period of the project, including $2 million from transport infrastructure, $300,000 from water and wastewater, and $500,000 from property sales, and any project savings to be returned to restricted cash for transport infrastructure or water and wastewater respectively for reallocation by Council.
• Delegate the CEO to negotiate contributions to the project from the Department of Transport and Main Roads as per the TMR/Local Government cost sharing agreement with regular progress reports back to council.
• Delegate the CEO to negotiate contributions from Ergon Energy for the undergrounding of power services with regular progress reports back to Council.
• Council proceed with the ground-breaking ceremony for the project on Monday, December 14th 2020.
• That Kingaroy and Glendon streets, between Alford Street and Markwell Street, be considered for design when council considers its 2021-22 financial budget. 

Mayor Brett Otto, a qualified accountant advised against the move citing it was a financial risk that would place this Council in severe financial hardship for years to come. The DTMR & Ergon Energy have not committed to their financial proposal of $2.3 million for the project.

Despite Council already possessing a $30 - 40 million debt, the four Councillors voted in favour without taking into consideration due diligence, the financial liability to rate payers and neglecting to identify:

 a) what cost will ratepayers incur if this project exceeds the exorbitant financial budget costs and;

 b)  how will Council raise the balance of funds required and why; 

c) a full cost & risk analysis has not been conducted on the latest proposal for Glendon Street and why;

d) was there no formal community consultation on the latest concept.

The four Councillors who vote in favour of the $2.5 million increase are the same Councillors who voted in a bloc for the Standpipe Water Charges to increase in a time of drought by 150%. The 3-hour debate in September’s Council meeting saw a motion temporarily reduce costs until a full review on the matter is carried out with a return date for further discussion in December’s Council meeting. This decision to increase charges affects the most vulnerable members of the community in times of drought and hardship.

Residents of the South Burnett Region recognise the bloc of four voting by Cr Gavin Jones, Cr Roz Frohloff, Cr Danita Potter & Cr Scott Henschen was a irresponsible decision to move and pass the motion to increase the expenditure by $2.5million without further community consultation or due diligence to the financial liability to ratepayers was not executed in the best interest of the community.

The ratepayers of the South Burnett Regional Council request an immediate investigation by the Minister for Local Government into the four Councillors who continue to disregard the advice of the Mayor and continue to undermine his position.

The four Councillors continue to hold the balance of power in important decisions that are affecting and disadvantaging the community at large. We the rate payers sign this petition to have Cr Gavin Jones, Cr Roz Frohloff, Cr Danita Potter & Cr Scott Henschen removed from as Councillors representing Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 and Division 6.