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A STOUSH has developed between the Launceston City Council's general manager and the man who could be the next deputy mayor over who should make council decisions.
The row between Robert Dobrzynski and Alderman Jeremy Ball has erupted even before the matter could reach the council in a strongly worded agenda item for next Monday's meeting.
Alderman Ball will bring a notice of motion to the meeting calling for the council's membership of the Gunns-initiated Bell Bay pulp mill community liaison committee to be withdrawn until the council has its say.
Alderman Ball, who is contesting his council seat and running for the deputy mayor's job in the local government election, is furious that Mr Dobrzynski took it upon himself to say yes to Gunns' invitation for the council to be a member of its new committee.
"The general manager took the decision without any consultation with aldermen and without bringing the matter for discussion to a strategic planning and policy committee meeting," Alderman Ball said.
But Mr Dobrzynski slammed Alderman Ball's questioning whether the general manager had greater authority than aldermen to make such a decision.
"The legislative authority of the general manager is far in excess of the authority of the elected council (reference section 62 and 63 of the Local Government Act 1992)," Mr Dobrzynski.
Mr Dobrzynski said that Mayor Albert van Zetten had received the invitation to join the community liaison committee from Gunns managing director Greg L'Estrange and referred it to him for a decision.
"I am not a blancmange in such matters and am capable of faithfully representing the views of Launceston City Council without fear or favour," he said.
But Alderman Ball said that membership of such a committee was a matter of concern to the community and should be decided by the elected representatives.
