Mayoral race hots up, but not for Kelly

By Shaun Inguanzo
JIM Memeti has emerged as a surprise Greater Dandenong mayoral candidate, while long-serving councillor John Kelly is facing defeat for the 14th year running.
The formal mayoral election takes place tonight (Thursday) at the Springvale council office with any of the 11 councillors able to nominate for the leadership position. But at a behind-closed-doors meeting on Monday night councillors took a straw vote to decide who they should support as the city’s next mayor.
Star can reveal that Noble Park North Ward councillor Maria Sampey won the vote ahead of Noble Park Ward councillor Pinar Yesil and Dandenong North Ward councillor John Kelly.
But Cleeland Ward councillor Paul Donovan said the vote was inconclusive with two of the 11 councillors not participating. Cr Sampey appeared to have a majority of the nine votes, he said.
But a close vote between Cr Yesil and Cr Sampey, and the uncertainty of for whom the two councillors would vote, meant there was no guarantee Cr Sampey would be Greater Dandenong’s next mayor. The informal vote was thrown further into disarray on Tuesday when Dandenong Ward councillor Jim Memeti emerged as a candidate for the position.
Meanwhile, Cr Kelly told Star that he was feeling more disappointed this year than ever before as he faces a 14th year in council without being elected mayor.
“Yep, I’m disappointed, I thought after 14 years of service in local government I might have at last had a chance. But, to be honest, some people who made a promise to me as they did a couple of years ago appear to have backed off again under pressure.”
In a last glimmer of hope for Cr Kelly’s campaign, Springvale South Ward councillor Yvonne Herring said she planned to nominate him at the formal meeting tonight. “John is Dandenong born and bred,” she said.
“He has been in there all these years and they (other councillors) won’t give him a go. He doesn’t bring politics into council and he works for the ratepayers.
“If I nominate John I hope fellow councillors will see the bright light and give him the vote.”
Cr Donovan said he would vote for Cr Kelly if he were nominated because the council had failed to predetermine a suitable candidate.