Cr Sycopoulis warns agains “misdirected and unlawful coup”

Warrnambool City Councillor Peter Sycopoulis: he returned to council this year in a count back. Image: Supplied.

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

Update: Warrnambool City Councillor Peter Sycopoulis has come out punching against moves to dismiss the CEO, saying the last thing the city needs now is a “misdirected and unlawful coup”.

Bam! Right between the eyes with that one!

Cr Sycopoulis sent a lengthy reply last night to my question to all councillors – do you support the CEO Peter Schneider? – but it was too late in the evening to publish, so I am running it now.

As we now know, Crs Neoh, Gaston, Owen and Cassidy are moving behind the scenes to get rid of the CEO, who has been in the job 17 months. He replaced Bruce Anson who had been in the job 11 years.

This is what Cr Sycopoulis had to say ahead of Monday’s “special meeting” where the CEO’s future will be discussed in confidence:

“I would have to say that I express my support to Peter Schneider in his efforts as our Chief Executive.

To this point I have seen no reason to question Peter’s performance standards. Just as importantly though, I believe him to be a man of integrity and is highly principled – this goes a long way with me.

I am impressed with the manner in which he has secured extra funding for the roofing of the Southwest Livestock Exchange and an extra $400,000 towards the combined Council/TAFE Library project.

Other successes include the settlement of contractual disputes associated with a major project, implementing Council’s new environmental objectives, reviewing the organisational structure of Council, capably managing the corona virus emergency and co-operating with the Council to provide free parking for CBD areas.

Even though the public are not privy to it, he is responsible for resolving many historical issues that had not been addressed in the past.

A final point though. The last thing this city needs is a misdirected and unlawful coup.

Warrnambool ratepayers desperately deserve and need a council that is guided by integrity, strong leadership, thorough oversight and scrutiny without fear or favour.”
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This is going to be a dirty fight. More to come on this story later today.

Mayor Herbert backs CEO before crucial Monday meeting

Warrnambool City Council Mayor Tony Herbert

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

Update: W’bool Mayor Tony Herbert has released a statement to The Standard which has (finally) twigged there is something significant brewing.

I haven’t received a copy of the statement, so I can’t repeat it in full here due to copyright, but it endorses CEO Peter Schneider and makes this point: “In summary, all of the resolutions regarding his performance have been passed unanimously by the council at six months and again at 12 months.”

You will have to visit the paper’s website for the full statement. In the meantime, if ratepayers are left carrying the can for an unfair dismissal, we will know where the responsibility lies.

Just as I posted this, Mayor Herbert emailed me his response to my earlier question on whether he supported the CEO. His reply:

“He does. He has many challenges, a number historical. He is working on them, but surely, I believe if he is to make a difference, he needs support of the council.”

Coup against W’bool City Council CEO gathers pace

The advert in The Warrnambool Standard classifieds.

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

Update:

Well, it’s on.

After the deathly quiet of yesterday, following Monday night’s W’bool City council meeting, this special – and confidential – meeting next Monday is being called for just one reason:

the CEO Peter Schneider’s head is on the chopping block.

Crs Neoh, Gaston, Owen and Cassidy have decided that 18 months is long enough for him to work out the train wreck he inherited after a decade of non-action on bullying, falling staff morale and a string of financial screw ups.

Whatever you think of the new CEO’s performance, he is about to become the fall guy in a big power play. He will take the rap.

When I first wrote about this looming coup in February, I gave the CEO six months.

Bing! Time’s up. Oh my, this is going to be ugly, expensive and a true shit fight.

What a pity it will also happen entirely behind the scenes: some things never change.

Power plays in full force as WCC chief under threat

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

Livestream from WCC Meeting: well the meeting appears to be over but they forgot to tell us about it. Tonight is a big night.

If, as suspected, the discussion behind closed doors was about the future of the CEO, then we can expect to hear much more on this very soon.

If, as suspected, 4/7 councillors plan to tell Peter Schneider that he has lost their confidence, then the CEO will pretty much have no choice but to resign.

This, if true, is an act of pure arrogance by four councillors who are just three months out from an election. It is a blatant power grab.

It is not about the competence of the CEO – he has only been there 18 months to clean up a mess that has been years in the making – it’s about keeping control.

How dare they decide who should be the CEO for the next council to work under? If anyone is to be judge and jury, that should be the NEXT set of councillors.

But of course, come the next election, the two power brokers behind this move – Crs Neoh and Gaston – may not have the numbers.

They may not – gasp – even get reelected. Imagine that! (If Cr Neoh wins again, he can notch up 20 years. Nothing like some fresh faces.)

They could scrounge up four because – I have been told – one of the four hopes to be the next Mayor after the next council elections. Side with us, we will give you the crown.

Oh my god, the assumptions! The dirty politics. The game playing.

Bring on October – we need a fresh start with people who care first and foremost about our city, not their personal ambitions.

Good night. Thanks for sticking around.

WCC confidential item raises spectre of CEO demise

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

Oohh, there’s nothing like a confidential item on the W’bool City Council meeting agenda to get the terrier nose sniffing the wind.

This juicy little confidential “personnel matter” is right at the end of the thumping agenda for tomorrow night’s meeting which has almost as many pages as “War and Peace“.

Personnel matter? Hmm, who could that person be?

My guess is it’s the CEO.

The worst kept secret in Warrnambool right now is the attempted coup against the CEO earlier this year – aborted just before Covid 19 hit – is being reignited by the two councillor power brokers, Crs Neoh and Gaston.

Cr Neoh has been lighting the fuse on the gelignite via his chest-puffing pieces in the local paper about transparency and accountability – all of which is about 12 years too late.

Both Crs Neoh and Gaston want the CEO out. (He is not Bruce, dammit).

They began working the numbers earlier this year and now, as the election approaches and everyone wants to buddy up, I would not be surprised if they have them.

Our CEO has had 18 months to turn around a legacy of 11 years – a legacy, may I add, that Crs Neoh and Gaston were part of.

Why are they in such a rush to get rid of him? Hmmm.

Politics, even at a local level, can be a dirty game of power and intrigue, and both are on full display at 25 Liebig St right now.

“War and Peace” it is.

[The meeting will be live-streamed on the WCC website from 5.45pm.]