Cade Lucas
A veteran Wyndham councillor has declared she’s committed to the role, despite storming out of Tuesday night’s council meeting.
Cr Heather Marcus abruptly left the meeting on Tuesday November 28 after what she claimed was unfair treatment.
The 80 year old former mayor, who has served on council for 18 years, was speaking against the Draft Advocacy Strategy 2024-2026 during Tuesday’s meeting when fellow councillor Mia Shaw interjected on a point of order.
Cr Shaw said that in criticising the way council communicated with the public, Cr Marcus was not speaking to the motion on advocacy strategy, an argument accepted by mayor Jennie Barrera.
Presiding over her first meeting following her election as mayor earlier in the month, Cr Barrera was asking Cr Marcus to speak to the motion when the councillor snapped.
“I am being cut off madame mayor and it’s not fair” said an emotional Cr Marcus who continued to argue that council wasn’t properly engaging with the public while Cr Barrera again asked her to speak to the motion.
Despite the mayor’s urging, Cr Marcus had clearly had enough.
“Sorry, I’m leaving. I’m going home again. I’m sick and tired of this council,” said Cr Marcus as she gathered her belongings and left the chamber less than an hour into the two hour meeting.
Debate quickly resumed and the Draft Advocacy Strategy eventually passed unanimously.
Speaking the next day, Cr Marcus said it wasn’t an isolated incident.
“I believe that I’m not being heard and it’s been going on all of this year,” she said.
“I’m shut down so often I just felt it was better to leave the council chamber. But then the phone rang for two hours to see that I was okay.”
Despite her frustrations, Cr Marcus offered an emphatic ‘yes’ when asked if she would remain on council and seek re-election.
“I just love it. I love the people. I believe it’s the people that make our city,” she said.
In response to the point of order that she wasn’t speaking to the motion, Cr Marcus argued councillors should be afforded more leeway when debating important matters.
“It’s all very well to have the governance rules, but there’s no discretion. The way every things governed now with the governance rules, I don’t think it’s conducive to a good council meeting.”
In a statement, mayor Jennie Barrera said council meeting rules were applied equally.
“Council meetings operate according to governance rules and all councillors are
required to abide by these rules.”
