Oxley will foot his own bills

Sexual harassment allegations and the issue of Wollongong City Council paying former General Manager Rod Oxley’s legal fees for the ICAC hearing into Corruption dominated what was an emotionally charged council meeting on Monday night.

Council determined to have an outside legal source as well sources within Council look into former staff member Vicky Curran’s claim for workers compensation over alleged sexual assault.

Ms Curran, who spoke briefly at the meeting on Monday has claimed she was sexually harassed by former senior staff member Joe Scimone before he left Council in February 2007.

Councilors resolved that Ms Curran’s claim for work cover be immediately addressed.

In another big announcement General Manager David Farmer told the meeting that “Council will not be paying (former General Manager Rod Oxley’s) legal bills,” for his appearance at the ICACs public hearing into corruption at Wollongong City Council.

The combined Environment and Planning Meeting and Extraordinary Meeting of Council contained choked farewells, verbal slugging matches, and the appointment of a new deputy Mayor – with Alice Cartan being chosen to replace Kiril Jonovski for whatever time councilors remained in their jobs.

Councilors Jonovski, Zanotto, Esen and Gigliotti were not at the meeting having stood down following allegations of corruption.

Most councilors made a parting speech at what most were sure was to be their last council meeting ever – but the mood was not one of forgiveness from many in the public gallery.

Catcalls and heckling were rampant at the meeting, with Wollongong Against Corruption spokesman Paul Matters interrupting councilors on numerous occasions and at one point entering into a verbal slugfest with a resident on the opposite side of the gallery who had called for people to let the councilors speak.

Cr Cartan also had a very heated verbal altercation with Mr Matters over his interruptions.

The anger of some residents was made most clear during an emotional farewell address by Labor Councilor David Brown.

During the address a number of members of the gallery made crying noises, with one resident calling out: “has anybody got any tissues?” Councilors also made moves to begin the re-establishment of a network of Community Advisory Groups to replace the disbanded Neighbourhood Committees in the area.

Several councilors spoke damningly of the community consultation ‘kiosks’ which were supposed to be an avenue for residents to talks to councilors and council staff.