City to re-join committee for $20,000 seat at table

City Hall will pay $20,000 to re-join lobby group Committee for Geelong after the previous council refused to renew its membership.
Chief executive officer Kelvin Spiller confirmed in a statement to the Indy on Thursday that the City would “be taking up membership”.
Mr Spillier said the decision “makes sense… to enable collaborative working relationships with local stakeholders”.
“A Committee for Geelong membership will allow us to be at the table as a full partner.”
Mr Spiller said the decision to apply for membership was his own.
He confirmed the cost would be $20,000.
The statement failed to outline the decision process, such as whether a recommendation to re-join went to council’s three administrators for approval.
One of the three, Philip Dorling, was executive director of the committee for almost 12 years before taking up a position with Avalon Airport.
The previous council, sacked in April, quit its 12-year membership in 2013.
Then deputy mayor Bruce Harwood cited a “shift in direction” between the two organisations.
But other councillors were more strident, slamming the committee for interfering in council activities and continually criticising its decisions.
Then councillor Jan Farrell said at the time she was “disgusted” with the committee’s interference in Geelong’s direct mayoral election.
Colleague Kylie Fisher accused the committee of “confusing” the Federal Government about Geelong’s funding priorities and of “getting up to shenanigans” in Canberra.
Mr Harwood was reluctant to comment on the new membership when the Indy contacted him.
“It’s a decision for the times and so be it,” he said.
Mr Harwood declined to make further comment.
The committee describes itself as “an independent, member-based organisation committed to leading and influencing to achieve our strategic objectives for Geelong”.