Whitfeld’s hidden agenda

Whitfield public meeting flyer

This flyer arrived in the mail a week ago and I was immediately cynical, based on my previous experience that public meetings are rarely held if the outcome has not already been determined. My cynicism was well founded.

Friday’s Chronicle reported that a $23,000 grant had been received for a feasability study for developing the football ground pavillion into a community centre that could be used for child care, a seminar and conference centre and for performing arts productions. That was certainly different to what the flyer said. So, I had to go along.

Auspiced by the Rural City of Wangaratta, the meeting began with an explanation that this feasability study had to be completed before the State Government would hand over $100,000 promised by Steve Bracks during the 2006 bushfires for the upgrading of the recreation ground facilities in appreciation of the Whitfield community’s contribution to the bushfire crisis.

This was immediately challenged and it was revealed that the rec hall committee had taken the decision, without community consultation, to not claim the $100,000 but, rather, to seek further funding (up to $500,000) to develop a community centre.

The mood of the 30 odd community members present was hostile. The Recreation Reserve Committee had clearly stepped outside their management brief and an unpleasant exchange continued for the next half hour before the organisers could bring the meeting back on track.

At that point, I had heard enough and left the building. I will phone a friend tonight to see how it all panned out. It has left me with the following unanswered questions

• The feasability study will take more than a year to complete which can only be seen as a delaying tactic to receiving the already granted $100,000. What is really behind this?
• A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Why can’t we take the $100,000 now and then still go hunting for future grants?
• What is the Rural City of Wangaratta’s involvement in all this. Have they already accepted the money, spent it elsewhere, and now trying to delay the reserve upgrades for a couple of years?

There is a hidden agenda and it has not yet been exposed.