Quick Bits 18/1/24: Cairns, Stonnington, Forest Lake (US)

News

Cairns Regional Council will make another attempt to appoint a Division 4 councillor this afternoon (18/1/24) after a previous attempt in December did not proceed due to conflict of interest issues.

The Cairns Post reports that the council’s CEO has received ministerial advice that will allow all councillors to participate in a vote.

Reports indicate that a nominee of Mayor Terry James and the Unity Team, Jeremy Neal, is likely to be appointed to the position just two months out from a new round of local government elections.

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The cost and value to ratepayers of council-provided car parks have been called into question by the author of a new book, Rethinking Parking

The Age reports today on the concerns raised by urban planner David Mepham, using Stonnington City Council‘s Prahran Square car park development as an example.

Mr Mepham claims the current approach to car parking wastes public money, locks up valuable land, and potentially contributes to the housing crisis.

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Forest Lake City Council in Minnesota has terminated its city administrator Patrick Casey ‘effective immediately’.

The unanimous council decision without discussion followed a closed-door annual review of his performance on Tuesday, and no reasons for the termination have been provided.

Former Lake Elmo city administrator Kristina Handt has been appointed to fill the position on an interim basis.