Twelve months ago the request for sponsorship support of the 24 Hour Fight Against Cancer charity triggered emotional scenes when it went before Campbelltown Council.
The late Fred Borg, the then chairman of 24 Hour, refused to leave the chamber during the debate and vote on the sponsorship request he had made to council.
Sponsorship for 2016 was approved but Cr Borg was reported to the Department of Local Government for a potential breach of the conflict of interest rules.
However Cr Borg died suddenly just before Christmas and nothing more was heard of the matter.
Local businessman Warren Morrison, who had been elected as Cr Borg’s number two in September 2016, assumed the reins at 24 Hour when he was elected chairman earlier this year.
One of his first tasks was to write to Lindy Deitz, the general manager of Campbelltown Council, to make the annual request for sponsorship.
He dated it June 5, 2016.
Last night, at the ordinary meeting of Campbelltown Council, the letter was tabled alongside the request for sponsorship from council.
But there was to be no repeat of the emotional scenes this time around; Cr Morrison raised his hand and when called by the Mayor, George Brticevic, stood up and told the council that he was declaring an interest in the matter and would be leaving the chamber when it was debated and put to the vote.
“A request for sponsorship has been received by the 24 Hour Fight Against Cancer Macarthur Inc toward this year’s event and associated activities, to be conducted at the Campbelltown Athletics Stadium, Leumeah from Saturday 21 October to Sunday 22 October 2017,’’ said the report tabled at the meeting.
In his letter to the general manager, which was also tabled for the benefit of the councillors, Cr Morrison said that more than 1,200 local residents had participated in last year’s event.
Total fundraising for the year was more than $320,000, which went towards Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre and the Paediatric Ambulatory Care Unit in Campbelltown Hospital.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Since the inaugural event in 2005, $3.7 million has been raised,’’ Cr Morrison said in his letter to Ms Deitz.[/social_quote]
There was barely any discussion before councillors agreed to approve the request and Cr Morrison was allowed back in the chamber.
♦ In other council meeting news from last night:
Mayor Brticevic informed council that Campbelltown Sports Stadium would host the FFA Cup semi final between the Western Sydney Wanderers and Adelaide United on Tuesday, October 24 with a 7.30pm kickoff.
“Who knows,’’ the mayor said.
“With Sydney FC in the other semi final against South Melbourne we might end up hosting the final of the FFA Cup between the Wanderers and Sydney FC in front of a 20,000 crowd.’’
