FORMER Murray Shire Council mayor, Tom Weyrich confirmed at Wednesday night’s Wakool Shire Council community meeting at Barham that Murray residents also oppose the proposed merger.
Speaking as a Mathoura resident, the fourth-term councillor stressed to those in attendance that Murray Shire Council has no issue with its neighbouring municipality.
“We’re as gobsmacked as you are with this merger proposal. We thought we would be lobbed in with Conargo and Deniliquin,” he said.
Cr Weyrich, as well as his seven other councillors, has been suspended from duties after Murray mayor, John Pocklington wrote to the New South Wales Minister for Local Government, Paul Toole calling for action.
The council has battled poor relationships between councillors during the past four years.
“Yes, we have issues, but the councillors can’t get on and can’t work as a team,” Cr Weyrich said.
“I’ve been a councillor for 17 years and you get good councils and bad councils. It goes in cycles. Unfortunately this cycle has included merger talks.”
