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Cr Dowman Re-Elected Mayor Chief Executive Officer, Allan Bawden With Re-Elected Mayor, Cr Veronica Dowman And The New Deputy Mayor, Cr John Duscher. Bass Coast Shire Council has elected Cr Veronica Dowman as Mayor and Cr John Duscher as Deputy Mayor for the next term. By Bass Coast - 9th December 2011 - Back to News The term is effective immediately and will run until Council elections on Saturday, 27 October 2012.
This is the second, consecutive term as Mayor for Cr Dowman.
Cr Dowman said it was an honour to be elected Bass Coast Mayor and thanked her fellow Councillors for their support.
"I would like to thank my fellow Councillors for giving me their confidence for another year," said Cr Dowman.
"I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve all our ratepayers.
"I am also looking forward to working with our new Deputy Mayor, Cr John Duscher and I congratulate him on his appointment.
"I would like to acknowledge our outgoing Deputy Mayor, Cr Gareth Barlow. He has been a very conscientious and hard working Deputy and I could not have done my duties without his support."
Cr Dowman identified a list of goals for the Council’s final ten months in office, including: increasing efficiency; strong advocacy; a strategic and careful approach to borrowings; continued dialogue with farmers and other community groups; purchasing land to secure the future recreational needs of Phillip Island; and delivering projects such as the Education Precinct, Cowes Town Square development and the Bass Coast Cultural Precinct.
The 2012 Deputy Mayor, Cr John Duscher was recently acknowledged by the Municipal Association of Victoria for 25 years of service in local government. Cr Duscher was first elected to Bass Coast Shire Council in 1996 and is a former Mayor, both of Bass Coast and the Borough of Wonthaggi.
Council Chief Executive Officer, Allan Bawden, congratulated both Cr Dowman and Cr Duscher on their appointment.
"I look forward to working again with Cr Dowman in her role as Mayor," said Mr Bawden.
"2012 will present many challenges as the Council continues to plan for a growing community, the wind-down of the desalination project and preparing for the October 2012 Council election."
The Mayoral election took place as part of the Statutory Meeting held on 7 December. Council delegates for external committees were elected, including representatives on the Gippsland Local Government Network, Municipal Association of Victoria and the Sea Change Task Force.
The Council also adopted the Travel and Provision of Resources Polices unchanged. The travel policy provides guidelines for travel involved when carrying out Council duties. The Resources Policy outlines the support and resources available to Councillors and audit guidelines for the maintenance of expense and travel registers and travel claim forms.
Details of the committees and policies are available on Council’s website (www.basscoast.vic.gov.au) as part of the meeting agenda and minutes.
Outgoing Mayor / Year in review
Prior to the election, Cr Dowman gave a wrap up of the 2011 year. She listed continuing growth of the Shire and the business planning and financial sustainability processes of the organisation as the two biggest issues faced by Council. The presentation also contained highlights from the year including:
- The success of the Carols and fireworks at Cowes in December 2010
- The Adoption of C93, finalising the structure plans and design frameworks for all of Bass Coast
- The assistance offered to other Victorian shires devastated by flooding in February 2011
- The first Serenade at Sunset concert of outdoor opera, attended by over 700 people
- A record capital works budget
- Recreation needs assessment for Phillip Island
- Successful campaign to restore library funding, lead by Cr Barlow and the MAV
- Minister Guy’s reversal of his decision to rezone farming land in Ventnor
- The success of the Community Planning project
- New infrastructure in Wonthaggi, as part of development of North East Wonthaggi
- Rural Land Use strategy
- Cowes Town Square redevelopment
- Lobbying and research for the Bass Coast Cultural Precinct
Photograph (see attached): Chief Executive Officer, Allan Bawden with re-elected Mayor, Cr Veronica Dowman and the new Deputy Mayor, Cr John Duscher.
For more information contact:
Eleanor McKay
communications coordinator
t (03) 5671 2296 | f (03) 5671 2222 | m 0407 557 620
e e.mckay@basscoast.vic.gov.au
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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