SUSPENDED mayor Luke Smith appears to have called end to an era in a farewell letter penned to Logan residents and posted to his Facebook page.
Mr Smith started his first day of suspension on Tuesday by calling press conference on the steps of the Logan City Council Chamber to label the implementation of Local Government Act reform legislation a debacle but had conceded by day’s end there could be no resolution of his case before March 2020.
Mr Smith reflected on achievements he hopes will leave a positive and lasting legacy of his 12 years in council.
“… it is with the deepest anguish that I find myself writing, what is effectively, a farewell as mayor of this great city – a city I have called home my entire life,” he said.
Well wishers took to Facebook to send best wishes after Mr Smith spoke of achievements he hoped would leave a positive and lasting legacy of his time in the council.
These included 10 years as division 6 councillor and chair of the governance, finance and economic development committee which set up a strong financial foundation to take on our bold new vision designed to make Logan an innovative, dynamic city of the future.
Elected mayor in 2016, he came to to office with several commitments to our city including two new water parks, greater investment in public transport, new mobile speed advisory signs and stronger action on hooning.
“I am pleased to say all these commitments are either well underway or already delivered and they will go a long way to helping improve the great lifestyle we enjoy in our city,” he said.
Mr Smith said he was a strong believer in the benefits gained by looking to others who had succeeded and this had driven him to seek out global experts who could launch Logan into the new millennium by sharing exciting innovations and international best practice.
“Even last week, council endorsed an Australian-first agreement with innovation leaders, CityStudio in Vancouver,” he said.
“It is my hope that innovation remains at the front of everything council does as it continues to discover and deliver the best outcomes possible for Logan’s residents.”
Mr Smith said during his time as mayor, the council had successfully lobbied for significant funds to improve the M1 and kept the pressure on critical projects that included the Mount Lindesay Highway and passenger rail for our city's south west.
He said achievements included the 2017 set up of InvestLogan, an independent investment company 00 per cent owned by Logan Council to invest in strategic projects that would deliver an investment return to the city and act as a catalyst for further investment.
“I am very proud of this initiative and of the new revenue stream it will create for council as it delivers exciting projects in the coming years.”
Mr Smith reflected on the 2016 launch of a new initiative in which the council hosted city-wide summits to bring communities and global experts together to shape the future of Logan.
“We have already seen so many new projects put forward in the implementation plans that are giving life to the ideas and innovations uncovered during these important summits,” he said.
“I believe these summits will be remembered as the turning point towards an exciting future for many of our city's centres.”
Sport, said Mr Smith, had been another winner with Logan now home of Football in Queensland, with the Roar and Football Brisbane now firmly planted at Logan Metro.
The council had also undertaken master planning for major sports precincts right across Logan, including Cronulla Park which was returned to the council in 2017.
Mr Smith said Logan’s economy had taken a leap in the past two years with output valued at $21.8 billion with property values rising, thousands of new jobs and growing businesses.
”We have laid a strong foundation and are now firmly focussed on seeing Logan reach its full potential as a dynamic city of the future,” he said.
Mr Smith said he would not see the completion of many projects underway but he knew determination to change the status quo and recognise that things can’t be done in the same way had set the city on an exciting course.
“The past two years in particular have seen us turn the tide in Logan and successfully build up a strong momentum for lasting transformational change. What I see now is our community casting aside old perceptions and believing in Logan's true potential,” he said.
“Our community has played an integral part in taking up this baton of positive change for the future. While the impact of flooding from ex-TC Debbie caused heartache for so many in our city, the resilience and compassion shown during the months that followed proved to me that although it has been 10 years since amalgamation, our community now truly sees itself as 'one Logan'.
“I have lived and breathed to see this city succeed from the moment I first stepped foot into my role as councillor 12 years ago. Leaving (the) council will be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.
“The wheels of justice turn very, very slowly, and sadly I am not expecting a resolution of the matters before the next election in March 2020.
“None of the allegations made against me have been proven and I can't help but feel robbed of the opportunity to keep driving so many game-changing advancements for Logan started under my Mayoralty this term.
“It has been my deepest honour to represent this city and I am devastated to be leaving this way.
“Thank you to all of those people who have supported and worked alongside me to take this great City of Logan to even greater heights. I wish you all the very best.”
Mr Smith and division 6 councillor Stacey McIntosh were suspended, effective Monday, after reforms to the Local Government Act were passed by Parliament last week.
Mr Smith’s suspension was triggered by charges which include perjury and corruption, Ms McIntosh’s by a stealing charge.
While Mr Smith held his press conference yesterday, remaining councillors discussed at a special meeting how the council would work in the absence of two elected councillors.
Deputy mayor Cr Cherie Dalley will act as mayor. It is understood Cr Trevina Schwarz will act as deputy, providing she wins the support of a majority of councillors when the matter goes to vote at the next council meeting.
It is understood both Mr Smith and Ms McIntosh received letters from Local Government minister Stirling Hinchliffe yesterday which outlined how their suspensions would work.
Both visited the council yesterday and have until Friday to hand in equipment in their possession which is the property of the council such as cars and phones.
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Well wishers took to Facebook yesterday to comment on the letter penned by Mr Smith.
See what they said here.