On Tuesday, 11 November, I had the privilege of being elected as Mayor of Yarra Ranges by my peers, along with Chandler Ward Councillor, Gareth Ward, who was elected Deputy Mayor.
For the coming year, I’ll be working with my Deputy and my fellow Councillors to maintain and improve the things we all love about the Yarra Ranges – the environment, our local infrastructure, and our programs that service more than 150,000 community members.
Though my ward is in the urban area of the municipality, I’m keenly aware of the opportunities and issues that impact our regional areas, such as the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges – both through my time at council and through the passionate advocates that are my fellow councillors.
This will be my second term leading the Yarra Ranges, having been Mayor through the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, lock downs and restrictions.
I’m proud of how Council and its staff led the community during this time, and though this coming year will surely have its own unique challenges, we’ll rise to meet it as we always have – together.
As I step into the Mayor’s role, I’m mindful that we’re facing the potential of an extraordinarily warm summer. I’d like to start my term by asking every community member to think of their emergency plans and make sure they’re up to scratch before the weather heats up.
Just make sure that, as we head into the summer months, you have an emergency plan in the event of a bushfire or natural disaster. It’s easy to do when you don’t need it, but it’s crucial to have it, if the worst occurs.
Factor in meeting places, when to leave early, and what happens with animals, and make sure everyone in your family is across your plan.
We’ll be working to prepare the region in our parks, gardens and reserves, with our bundled branches and hard waste collections coming up over summer.
Now, and year-round, we’ll continue to work hand in hand with our community to make the Yarra Ranges the best place to live, work and play in.
I’m honoured to be your Mayor for the coming year, and I look forward to meeting many of you over the coming year.
