Tenterfield chambers were alive with terse comments, points of order, angry retorts and a councillor leaving the meeting last week.
Despite the (at times) heated conflict, the development application for the recreation facility, commonly known as Angry Bull Trails’ pump track, was approved by the majority of councillors.
The temperature rose as soon as Joe Smith of Angry Bull Trails began addressing councillors immediately before the council meeting. He started by pointing out that the plan has been six years in the making and now it is at “a critical point”.
Mr Smith spoke with some eloquence on youth engagement and what the infrastructure meant to Tenterfield as a community, beyond economic development, which he says is a by-product of the cycling infrastructure.
As soon as he finished his five minute presentation, Cr Greg Purcell began questioning Mr Smith about whether Mr Smith had put any of his own money into the project, and where would future maintenance money come from and whether he would offer personal financial guarantees.
Mayor Bronwyn Petrie asked Cr Purcell to keep questions in relation to the development application and reminded the councillor that other infrastructure projects, like memorials, are not approved based on financial guarantees of future maintenance.
“There’s no requirement for personal guarantees,” she said. The back and forth on the topic continued for some minutes until Cr Owen Bancroft interjected with a question about the resilience of the infrastructure. Cr Kim Rhodes spoke about the validity of the youth engagement.
Cr Peter Murphy then asked why Mr Smith has refused to answer his questions. In the cross conversations that took place after this comment, it sounded like Mr Smith said that Cr Murphy’s questions were “stupid”. Tensions rose.
The mayor reminded Cr Murphy that his questions were not relevant to the development application and instead related to personal interactions between the two men and asked Cr Murphy to keep his questions on track.
Sources have told the Town & Country Journal that in at least one previous meeting with councillors, Mr Smith refused to take questions from Cr Murphy and a level of animosity between the parties was apparent in the meeting.
Cr Purcell pointed out that Mr Smith insulted Cr Murphy by saying they were stupid questions.
“This is an opportunity for community consultation and to present information to the community about important information,” the mayor said. “Cr Murphy’s question is quite out of order, we are taking questions about the DA, not any personal argy-bargy.”
Discussion about e-bikes, lighting, CCTV cameras and disability access ensued and the temperature in chambers cooled briefly.
Cr Purcell asked about Angry Bull’s not-for-profit status and questioned whether in the future, if it failed, whether the project would cost council money.
Cr Murphy began “has Angry Bull Trails…” and was cut off by the mayor calling a point of order.
A moment of mayhem arose as Cr Murphy interrupted the mayor over points or order and Cr Murphy’s questions which seemed to be about conflicts of interest.
Mr Smith said “this is ridiculous” and suggested he “would take steps”.
Cr Purcell left chambers. He later returned.
During later debate of the development application in the meeting, tempers again flared.
Cr Purcell said Mr Smith was there to answer questions and objected to Mr Smith’s response.
Bronwyn explained the code of meeting practice, reminding councillors to keep personal comments outside of chambers, to which Cr Purcell shot back that that rule should include the speaker (Mr Smith).
Cr Petty, who seemed visibly agitated by the tone of the meeting, interjected saying that the mayor had done a good and difficult job of keeping the peace in chambers and admonished some councillors for raising questions not relevant to the debate.
Arguments then arose briefly between Cr Purcell and Cr Petty.
Despite the angry interactions, there was useful discussion around the bike park including parking, accessibility, maintenance and other issues, with most councillors content with the application and its conditions as it was presented.
The development application, with 46 conditions, was approved by the majority with Cr Murphy and Cr Purcell voting against the motion.
A day after the ordinary meeting of council meeting last week, Greg Purcell resigned as councillor for Tenterfield Shire Council.
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