Appointment to committees

IT'S been said that laws are like sausages - it's better not to see them being made - and the same could apply to the biennial appointment of councillors to committees. This lengthy process was carried out at the new-look Derwent Valley Council's first meeting last night and it's fair to say some in the full public gallery grew restless as the lengthy list of committees, statutory bodies and associations was worked through.

I have been appointed or reappointed as the council representative or proxy on the following:

• New Norfolk Historical Information Centre Special Committee
• Derwent Valley Youth Future Action Team Special Committee (proxy to Cr Triffett)
• Bushy Park Swimming Pool Special Committee
• Environmental Management Special Committee
• Friends of Frescati Special Committee
• Willow Court Conservation Special Committee
• William Hazlewood Reserve Special Committee (Magra)
• Derwent Valley Visitor Information Centre (proxy to Cr Graham)

I'm also pleased to have been reappointed to the following:

• Plenty Link Rd working group (along with Cr Lathey, Cr Shaw and Cr Belcher)
• Council website working group: (additional members to be appointed)
• Industrial/Medicinal Hemp working group (along with Cr Graham, Cr Evans and Cr Shaw)
• Land Sale Committee (along with Cr Triffett, Cr Graham and Cr Pearce)
• Maydena Community Association
• Community Grants Committee (along with Cr Lathey, Cr Belcher, Cr Shaw and Cr Triffett)
• Code of Conduct Panel (along with Cr Pearce and Cr Belcher. One councillor is selected to assist with independent chairman as required.)

*Subject to confirmation of the minutes next month.

** No offence intended to the purveyors of fine locally-made sausages..

Four decisions from last month's meeting

LAST month's council meeting considered four motions on notice I had submitted for the agenda. I am grateful to my council colleagues for their unanimous support of all four motions, which were as follows:

COMMUNITY CARD POINTS
Moved: Cr Bester
Seconded: Cr Shoobridge
That the council acknowledges the efforts of Ruth Howie and the co-operation of Woolworths in the development of the Community Card concept.
That the proceeds of the frequent shopper points collected via the Derwent Valley Council's Community Card during 2014 be allocated to the St Vincent de Paul Society for distribution to residents of the Derwent Valley municipality in need this Christmas.


NATIONAL HERITAGE LIST
Moved: Cr Bester
Seconded: Cr Lathey
That the council take immediate steps to follow the recommendation of the Federal Minister for the Environment and apply for National Heritage Listing for the Willow Court historic site in consultation with the office of the Federal Member for Lyons.


LEE'S CORNER
Moved: Cr Bester
Seconded: Cr Shoobridge
That the council adopt the name Lee's Corner for the park to be developed on the corner of High and Burnett Streets in New Norfolk, in recognition of the business that occupied the site for much of the 20th century.


MAGRA RECREATION RESERVE
Moved: Cr Bester
Seconded: Cr Lathey
1. That council notes the request of the Magra Recreation Reserve that the land (title reference SP26169/9) be known as William Hazlewood Reserve.
2. That Council refers the proposed name (William Hazlewood Reserve) to the Nomenclature Board and provides the following information in support of the proposed name (in recognition of the Norfolk Island evacuee who once owned the land).

First meeting of the new-look council

THE first meeting of the Derwent Valley Council in its new form will be held tomorrow, Thursday, November 20 at 6.30pm. The public is invited to attend the meeting, which will be held in the courthouse in Circle St, New Norfolk.  Please join us - and if you would like any assistance or information about the meeting, please do get in touch. The meeting agenda is available online.

The members of the incoming eight-member council have already been declared elected but the first order of business at tomorrow night's meeting will be the official swearing-in. According to the agenda documents, it will be done in the following order:  Cr Martyn Evans (Mayor), Cr Ben Shaw (Deputy Mayor), Cr Barry Lathey, myself, Cr James Graham, Cr Julie Triffett, Cr Paul Belcher and Cr Frank Pearce.

Before the outgoing council is consigned to history, I would like to acknowledge the service of those councillors who were not returned to office:

• Cr Judy Bromfield OAM (served from 1991-96 and 1998-2014)
• Cr Tony Nicholson (served from 1998-2009 and 2011-14)
• Cr Wayne Shoobridge (served from 2001-02 and 2011-14)
• Cr Scott Shaw (served from 2005-14)
• Cr Chris Lester (served from 2011-14)

This photo of the outgoing council was taken last month, with myself at the far left, then Cr Scott Shaw, Cr Chris Lester, Cr Barry Lathey, general manager Stephen Mackey, Cr Martyn Evans, Cr Judy Bromfield, Cr Tony Nicholson, Cr James Graham and Cr Wayne Shoobridge.

Thank you notice

My "thank you" ad in this week's Gazette. Click to enlarge.

Thank you

My sincere thanks to all those who supported my re-election to the Derwent Valley Council for a second term. I will keep sharing council news via this blog and by advertising in the Derwent Valley Gazette and urge you to get in touch with me whenever there is something you want to know about council business.

The overall election result shows a clear desire for change. All sitting councillors had a reduced vote and five of my colleagues will not be returning to the council table. I wish them well and I offer my congratulations to the four candidates elected to replace them. Following the recent decision of the Local Government Board we are now an eight-member council rather than nine.

Please let me know what priorities you would like to see pursued by the new council, using the comment function below or by sending me an email or giving me a call. I will raise your concerns at a council meeting. I also encourage you to attend council meetings and community forums. Ask questions. Lobby your councillors and respond to requests for public comment.

I hope that candidates who were not elected will maintain their interest in council activities and play a role in keeping all councillors to their promises. My first term on council flew by and the next election will be here before we know it.

Full election results