Farewell, Marcelle

Cr Hoff writes: “It is with great humility and pride that I have held the post of Independent Councillor of the City of Sydney for the past seven years.

“First and foremost I would like to pay tribute to the many committed people who work in our communities and in various organisations in our local government area. These rich and diverse communities span wide-ranging social, religious, economic and racial divides and I have had the immense enjoyment and great honour of working closely with them.

It has been a privilege to serve on behalf of all who make up this vibrant city and I leave knowing that community has become an essential part of government at a local level. I have met many delightful people and formed warm friendships.

“I must also thank the hard-working men and women of the City of Sydney Council, who strive each day to serve the City and its residents. Their efforts have led to some remarkaable outcomes. Personally, I have received amazing support and loyalty from Council staff.

“The City has won awards for environmental sustainability, architecture, tourism, and landscaping of magnificent parks, gardens and playgrounds. And I’m proud to say that the City commits more resources to addressing homelessness than any other council in Australia.

“I acknowledge and value the work of my fellow Councillors and wish them well. The decisions I made did not always enjoy the support of all my colleagues. However, my actions reflected my belief in what was right and I am grateful in the knowledge that not one of my colleagues would expect me to apologise for that.

“I entered politics and the Council because I wanted to be a truly Independent Councillor. I feel that I have remained true to my values throughout.”

Source: The South Sydney Herald April 2012 – www.southsydneyherald.com.au

REDWatch wants to publicly acknowledge the assistance given to us by Marcelle Hoff over the years both as a Councillor and in her private capacity. She will be greatly missed and we wish her a speedy recovery and hope that she will be able to resume her community work when her health has improved.