THE contemptuous manner in which Councillors Schwarz and Burnside continue to treat the interests of Eurobodalla ratepayers is nothing less than deplorable and is again evidenced in their letter in the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner on May 20.

Their highly informative commentary includes the use of phrases such as “council bashing”, “loony idea”, “audacious display of ego”, “hard right views”, “grievances, mostly anecdotal or on outdated issues,” and “lurching to the hard right”.

If they, and five other councillors, had bothered to attend the recent meeting at Batemans Bay Soldiers’ Club they could have personally responded to the views expressed by the many ratepayers who were present to underline their support for change.

These two councillors were elected on a platform to make council (management) accountable to the ratepayers and to conduct its business in an effective, efficient and economic manner.

I seem to recall their charter stressed the need for council to refocus its resources on the provision of core/essential services.

I would suggest ratepayer interest has been supplanted by self-interest and this state of affairs will continue until such time as all councillors realise why they were elected in the first place.

Keeping one’s head down below the parapet and taking the line of least resistance in council matters may make life less stressful but, unfortunately, such servitude has the opposite affect on the person paying the bill.

Bert Hardy

Catalina