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The process of democracy is in many ways a bit like the practice in the commercial manufacture of a meat pie; the result is acceptable to most people providing the ingredients and processes that went into it are not given to much scrutiny - if you did scrutinise too much you might be less inclined to enjoy one. Of course the pie manufacturers would have you believe that only the finest cuts of beef with no artificial ingredients is what makes their pies delicious    even nutritious. You wouldn't worry about that particular aspect of it    like when you're having a beer and a pie at the footy but maybe if you had the temerity to serve pies to your dinner guests it would be an extremely hazardous thing to do because a more objective analysis of the ingredients could lead to considerable embarrassment to the host. When you explain it all at a leisurely pace you might not only lose your appetite but be tempted to throw up there and then should a guest 'explain' the process? Explaining the process can sometimes be a distasteful affair.

"Did you know that the meat in meat pies are mainly the remnants of the carcass removed by "shot blasting which is the use of high velocity streams of air to remove the smallest fragments of meat," the guest might submit, and if that's not enough address even matters such as the stated fact that the product contains no artificial ingredients. "That's because in this instance they use sheep eyes to thicken the gravy - sheep eyes aren't artificial are they...?" You could go no but a queasy stomach is no way to make a point    or is it? Perhaps even as you read this you are starting to feel a bit green about the gills as well?

That's why democracy is a bit like a meat pie, it's better not to think what went into it - the processes. The same could be said at the annual charade held in September, when the councillors of Albury gather to elect the mayor and the deputy mayor. It looked tempered enough to the great democratic traditions as is the 'Albury Way'. You didn't want to think too much about it. All the argy-bargy and white line fever that permeated the air as numerous players jockeyed for a favourable outcome subsides and the assembled councillors tried to give the right sense of dignity and purpose. It was in truth like dogs, avoiding any suggestion of the rabid type, these were more refined types more golden labrador than wolf fighting over a bone.

On Monday, September 28 when the councillors met, it was the accumulation of a lot of work, plotting and conniving. It is a serious business if you want higher office after all you don't just sit there and there's a tap on the shoulder, and when someone says "Would you be interested in being mayor or deputy mayor because you're right for the job?" and you suddenly jump to your feet and say "thank you I'll do it    I'm glad you all respect me". That's not the way it goes at all. You have to fight for it, do deals. You have to have the numbers. If you are a bit fainthearted or prone to certain standards as far as ethics are concerned you don't stand a chance. It's a fairly formal process. If you want to be mayor at Albury City Council, and every councillor does (probably just like every other local government body on earth if not the universe) you have to play the game. You also have to be mindful that you shouldn't elect someone that might deny you a go at the main chance sometime into the future so an ability to accurately interpret perceived 'character faults' for future use is essential. These are all filed away in the mind. Sometimes a small notebook is required to assist the memory.

It was obvious from the start that Cr Gould didn't have the numbers, and looked rather sullen as the meeting began and proceeded to read the Mayoral Minute, which was four or five pages explaining mayoral achievements while Cr Gould was at the helm. Mayor Gould and her co-authors of the document, undoubtedly Mr Les Tomich, the general manager, were a bit skittish when it came to a bit more self analysis    like any word from Ferrier-Hodgson, the receivers of Grange Securities (owned by Lehman Brothers) if the ratepayers will get two cents in the dollar for the $6 million Albury City Council spent on subprime investments. Perhaps come September the Mayoral Minute could be a bit more objective and give us the good with the bad. A bit less spin perhaps. We all live in hope.

There were a few more bits and pieces that had to be taken care of before the main show got under way, nothing too contentious here until the development of the proposed drinking place on a soon to be constructed balcony at the Roi nightclub. It was a traditional look and learn type performance producing an almost surreal performance when Cr Glachan produced a length of wood that approximated the height of the balustrades which she then proceeded to instruct her fellow councillors as to 'inherent dangers' she said if you were drunk and stood on a chair    or table for that matter, you did so at considerable risk of falling off the balcony. She told all assembled that she wouldn't stand on a chair and give a more realistic performance of the inherent dangers facing intoxicated patrons. It was probably better she didn't, though it might have been more theatrical. You could sense that a few councillors there would have preferred her to take her look and learn interlude to its extreme conclusion and would have gladly assisted her in her instruction followed by oops and the designated mayor herself a victim of her own enthusiasm to make a point spreadeagled over the carpet.   A lively debate followed which didn't make much sense either before they decided to move on. Borderline was half expecting some councillor to call for all patrons to be secured to the premises by some type of apparatus a bit like a shackle, secured to the ankle to ensure the safety of patrons.

As Borderline explained previously the election of mayor had to be handled a bit sensitively because of Cr Gould's position. Cr Angus who had previously made public his intention to support Cr Glachan was no doubt aware that the people who voted for Cr Gould got him a position on Council as well. Then again he had secured a deal himself that might in the future ingratiate himself prospective electors who would have forgotten how he ratted on Cr Gould. Hardly. Having a two cornered contest with a simple display of hands was far too uncouth in this situation. Seeing Pat publically humiliated    like after all she has feelings - that and she had been on council for 35 years and had obtained the largest personal vote in the last council elections. No, you have to be very sensitive in this type of situation. In these situations a secret ballot seems more the Albury Way    not that there was much secrecy about it as just about everyone had made their intentions known, but it seems they wanted to be seen as having their hands clean. It was quite an amusing bit of hypocrisy.

Cr van de Ven, who would have given anything to be mayor, had only the support of his mentor Cr Duncan-Strelec and Cr Hull. Still a three-cornered contest had an appropriate feel to it because then it didn't look so obvious that Cr Gould had been ruthlessly done over. It's all about appearance. Duncan-Strelec, Van de Ven and Hull, await their opportunity. These three seemed to have formed a nucleus that will undoubtedly be played out in the coming year and consider the present arrangements of the newly elected mayor one of a 'temporary nature'.

When Cr Glachan was eventually elected mayor after twenty or so minutes, Alice Glachan seemed very happy - and why shouldn't she be. Cr Gould tried not to look unaffected. Paul Wareham had supported her, and that was as far as it was going to go. Cr Angus seemed to be unaffected by shame having convinced himself that he was his own man even though he was number two on Cr Gould's ticket (Gould 1,463 votes, Angus 39 votes). That's the thing about when you change mayors, there's the vanquished and the vanquisher. And there is an initial spirit of co-operation, but it doesn't last long. That's the thing about the nature of local government in Albury and perhaps everywhere else if things go pear shaped the councillors blame the mayor, it's a convenient way of deflecting suggestions that the councillors who comprise the council are incompetent. In a lot of ways this is a bit of a ruse and you could see it that Monday night there was also another variance at work and you could see it as Alice did her earlier look and learn performance that some councillors were 'positioning' themselves for future endeavours. You have to plan ahead in this business.

That's why you usually get rid of mayors, because in reality the mayor is just as good or bad as fellow councillors allow. There has to be a pretext. Cr Gould was at the receiving end of what is essentially a cynical exercise in power play. Of course she made a few stuff-ups. Albury mayors usually do. She was hurting alright. You put on a brave face. If the mayor is seen as inadequate why didn't they tell her    lift your game? You don't do that because local government does not by and large attract people who operate like that. There's not much place for humanism in local government and Albury is no exception. Not when the current fashion is that regardless how inept the councillor may be they still think they would make an absolutely brilliant mayor. A shining star in the municipal wilderness. That's why if you want to enter local politics an inclination to bouts of self-delusion is essential.

Even the press commented that Cr Glachan's low-key strategy had clearly worked. Cr Glachan thanked everyone    she didn't thank Cr Could. A few kisses, a couple of half-hearted handshakes and then it was down to the secret ballot for Deputy Mayor. Again this was a premeditated affair, Cr Henk van de Ven knew full well he had the numbers and that was that. You got the feeling he was a bit dispirited because it was second prize.

There is a lot more to this because like an iceberg the election of the mayor and deputy mayor is only a bit of the whole mass of the public administration because the 4 committee chairs were all part of the deal as well. These positions are the spoils of war, rewards for deals done. It is in the makeup of these bodies that give some indication on how the whole process was worked out and which saw Crs Wareham, Gould and Sawyer on the outer and were thrown a few scraps, a few small committees. It had to be seen like when you go to the Albury Show and stuff a table tennis ball down a clown's throat    everyone wins a prize.

As part of the deal to get Alice Glachan mayor, it is always imperative that some semblance of stability ensures    low key as is her ambition, her mother's not low key though. There were provisos. Provisos are all part of the deal. Sometimes provisos can get quite sophisticated    a handshake or a-nod- and- a -wink are for those unsophisticated enough to realize that you could be implicated should things go wrong. Glachan was prepared 'to understand' that everything must be seen to be all aboveboard. The four committee chairs were up for 'selection'. An entirely democratic process when in effect it had all been decided well beforehand. Borderline has been accused by Cr Duncan -Strelec that certain conspiratorial theories exist behind just about every motive and action of the Albury City Council. In this instance she is half right except the theory bit of the equation is nonsense. So when Cr Duncan-Strelec wanted Planning and Development she should have it. Planning and Development was the first cab off the rank it was hers - no matter the election of a developer, a person in debt for her failed    or failing developments currently been played out in the Supreme Court in Sydney. Duncan-Strelec v Tate. It's not a pretty picture. For more information on the matter follow this link or see a copy of the judgement below the main text; http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/scjudgments/2009nswsc.nsf/00000000000000000000000000000000/5846cbfd3f4963c6ca257673001393eb?OpenDocument Mr and Mrs Tate are currently preparing an application for costs. Then there's the matter of the interest fee deferral of developer fees she owes the Albury City Council that has been going on for a few years. She floats high over the skies of Alaska, and then floats back refreshed by her Alaskan adventures. As the chief strategist on this occasion everything fell into place. That's the good thing about the technological age you don't have to be here you can be here there and everywhere.   Because of the inherent instability of the council caused by overblown egos, Alice Glachan wanted to be mayor because she has ambitions, she accepted the conditions. It had all been worked months ago. No doubt Cr Glachan thinks that like errant children they can be brought into line at her choosing at some future date. It doesn't quite work like that. If she hasn't found that out already she most certainly will. And it won't be long in coming either.

Several developers have already told Borderline that Cr Duncan -Strelec's position and her prejudicial, lack of objectivity has already compromised Cr Glachan's term as mayor. Cr Duncan-Stelec can make it hard for developers she has no 'empathy' for. She's done it in the past. Having a failed developer or virtually running Planning and Development has certainly not gone unnoticed amongst the Albury Community. Most of who know full well that the whole thing was dodgy. Probably Mayor Glachan thinks it's a bit dodgy but in the interests of political self preservation she probably doesn't think about it. Or tries not to. Then again she might think it's all perfectly legitimate. Who knows.

Then all the other positions fall into line, all handed down as part of the deal - the thirty pieces of silver divvied up according to, although some of them accepted less culpability as to their culpability. It was also to keep Wareham, Gould and Sawyer out of the main picture. A bit of spiteful premeditated revenge. Of course the main players won't admit it. Cr Hull got Engineering and Works, no doubt his wife would have been pleased about that one. That and having recently joined the Liberal Party could come in handy at preselection time. Didn't Susan Sontag say that 'ambition if it feeds at all, does so on the ambition of others'. Cr Angus got Community and Culture of which he knows very little. Finance and Administration went to Cr Betteridge who a few weeks later flew to Darwin to accept an award for a wood fired oven that cost fifteen or so thousand dollars to build. The cost of this little excursion cost five or six thousand dollars. On the Albury City Council website, Cr Betteridge says "Winning this award has really had an impact on Albury being perceived as a resourceful, creative and clever community that has created something quite groundbreaking with a minimal financial outlay". Really.

No doubt Cr Gould will take time out for a cup of tea and consider her position. One could almost be certain that the bravado she seemed to imply was accompanied by bitterness. And a lot of people who voted for her equally so, especially mindful when she topped the vote in the last election. Cr Wareham could also be a feeling a bit of pique having the second highest personal vote. Cr Sawyer was obviously denied because she has no fear of Cr Duncan-Strelec and will take her on if the opportunity arises. Cr Duncan-Strelec uses intimidation quite effectively because all except Cr Sawyer and Cr Wareham are intimidated by her. She was out to get Gould from the start. Her conspiratorial apprentice Cr Henk van de Ven did what he could to help but he's not really a natural in such matters, he still needs guidance and his teacher. One can only hope he resists her capacity for spite and revenge.
Will Cr Glachan last? For a while, however Cr Glachan like in the debate over water restrictions seems to have a limited capacity to grasp the truth of the matter, her entire concept of how water was allocated in NSW and Victoria according to catchment area and not on need was ludicrous. Cr Glachan, like when she did her demonstration of the inherent dangers of upstairs at the Roi Bar, has a Victorian sense that the rest of us need guidance and direction and people like her are in the best position to give it. The trouble is such demonstrations of leadership and control are prone to become ridiculous expositions of ill directed self-righteousness. In this area the mayor has made a great start. Others waiting in the wings are only too willing to turn a blind eye to her antics because it is a far better option for someone to contribute to their own downfall as much as possible. That way there's less blood on the floor come the next mayoral election.

Rest assured it won't be long before they make their move, with no doubt several willing accomplishes only too willing to lend assistance. Why you well may ask? Because next year Albury hosts the NSW Local Government Conference from 24-27 of October, 2010. This annual blue chip junket is an important occasion when all the councillors in NSW come together to talk, drink, and eat. They even have a mayor's parade when they all walk in procession from somewhere to somewhere else in alphabetical order. Albury would be at the upper end of the cue. Lots of politicians also take the opportunity to give 'keynote' insights into all and sundry. If you want state-wide exposure such an occasion is an ideal opportunity to do so. That's why come the next mayoral elections next year a few councillors will be champing at the bit to become mayor.