Picture: SANDRA MORELLO
GRANT District Mayor Richard Sage says he has been “vindicated” following a South Australian Ombudsman report clearing him of wrong doing.
Ombudsman Wayne Lines has found there is not sufficient evidence to establish that “dishonesty had occurred” in relation to the altering of a council document.
The Ombudsman report was released from “in confidence” at Grant District Council’s meeting on Monday night.
The release of the report follows a turbulent period for Mr Sage who faced an extraordinary motion of no confidence on the eve of last year’s local government elections.
Speaking to The Border Watch yesterday, Mr Sage said the altering of the council document was the catalyst for the motion of no confidence against him.
“The motion of no confidence was done in business without notice and without any report. This Ombudsman report now puts it on the public record that I was legally allowed to do that,” the mayor said.
“As 20 years experience as an elected member and 10 years as mayor, the submission that went to the panel was legally allowed to be altered.
“I did not do it out of malice and the issue has brought the council down to the lowest level I have ever seen.”
While claiming he was the target of a “smear campaign” during the election, he said the council was now beginning to rebuild.
“It was a personal attack and it has been the whole way through,” Mr Sage said.
He revealed he wanted to advocate for higher remuneration for elected members given he believed the council was as “deserving as Naracoorte, the Mid-Murray and Kingston councils” that had received increases.
Mr Sage said Grant council had been at the “forefront” of fighting for the community on a number of issues, including the forward sale of harvesting rights, TAFE SA issues and marine parks.
“Council initially agreed to look at the remuneration level. I feel this report has now vindicated the actions what I have taken,” he said.
The Ombudsman complaint centred on allegations Mr Sage requested the acting CEO Graeme Maxwell to mend a draft document – which had been approved by council members – to the Remuneration Tribunal.
Former chief executive officer David Singe – whose contract has been terminated – lodged the complaint.
The amendments to the draft letter included advocating for a higher allowance for council members.
Mr Singe told the ombudsman that he was unaware of the letter’s amendments when he signed the document.
“On the information and evidence … I do not consider there is sufficient evidence to establish that dishonesty has occurred,” Mr Lines said in his report.
“I therefore do not consider on the face of it a breach of potential beach of clause 3.1 of the Code of Conduct for council members arise on the facts.”
Mr Lines said in his report Mayor Sage submitted that his handwritten notes were really “suggestions” and this appeared to be corroborated by the fact that Mr Maxwell did not make all the changes sought.
“Mayor Sage submits that this matter was considered in relative haste,” he said.
“But there is no evidence to suggest that Mayor Sage improperly directed Mr Maxwell to make the changes.”
On the information and evidence, Mr Lines said he did not consider there was “sufficient evidence” to establish that Mayor Sage improperly exercised his power or directed Mr Maxwell to make the changes.
“As the author and signatory, the onus fell on the chief executive officer to ensure the letter correctly reflected the council’s position as it purported to,” he said.
“In my view, it would had been preferable for the letter to be brought back to before the council for its further consideration in a special meeting.”
Mr Lines has now completed his consideration of the complaint.
