By Victoria Stone-Meadows
Council funding suspension challenged…
Casey Radio has hit back at council for its decision to pull funding from the station.
City of Casey Council voted to cease funding arrangements with Casey Radio until June 2018, citing conflict with the radio’s management for the decision.
Council voted to hold funding for the radio station in abeyance and pull its membership from the radio’s board until council is satisfied management at the station improved.
However, 3SER president Adrian Morton said the radio station had met all demands made by council in relation to funding.
“The funding decision cannot be in any way associated with any compliance issues at South Eastern Radio Association,” Mr Morton said.
“The association has been fully compliant in every area of its operations.”
Mr Morton said the council had “fundamentally misunderstood” the station’s operations and the station had no obligation to abide by council’s demands.
“South Eastern Radio Association is an independent not-for-profit association with revenue streams from multiple sources such as sponsors, benefactors, grants, membership fees and revenue generating projects. Casey Council funding falls into the sponsorship category,” he said.
“The association is independent from sponsors or benefactors; it reserves the right to consider all recommendations without any obligations.”
“It appears that Casey Council’s misunderstanding of the association’s governance structure has led to a view and recommendation that the committee of management should be sacked and replaced by paid professionals.”
“This misunderstanding has caused confusion in the discussions and relationship during funding negotiations.”
Casey councillor Wayne Smith, who has been a council delegate on the radio station’s board for two years, said the radio station’s management was making decisions without input from the board.
“There were decisions being made in plans to employ people, and council felt that it was reasonable management couldn’t do that without board approval and that has happened without board approval,” he said.
“We are funding a not-for-profit organisation and a lot of community money is going into it, and we can’t be part of an organisation that is not open and transparent.”
“The management the leadership has to consult with the board, and major decisions have to be come before the board and that hasn’t been happening.”
While the current funding for Casey Radio is in limbo, both parties are willing to keep an open dialogue to continue their partnership.
“We are always open to Casey Council or any other councils to approach us with funding proposals that respect the fact that we are an independent not-for-profit organisation servicing residents in many councils within the South Eastern Melbourne region,” Mr Morton said.
While Cr Smith has resigned from the board of the station, he will stay on as a member of the station’s committee to oversee council recommendations.
“Council hasn’t cut them adrift, and they still have to come back and prove they have a much better governance model; hopefully that will happen,” he said.
“The radio station is a benefit to Casey, and we just need to make sure they are governed properly.”
