Tag: committees

Recognising the service of Council’s volunteers

Posted on by alex

Like many community based organisations Maroondah City Council is fortunate to have volunteers who assist in the delivery of services or provide assistance in the form of social support, environmental care and committees of management.

This evening Maroondah City Council acknowledged the service of its volunteers who dedicate their time to the community. The reception also provides an opportunity to thank volunteers who have achieved milestones in their contributions, including several who have been volunteering through Council for 35 years.

Alex with Council's CEO, Frank Dixon and volunteers who were recognised for 35 years of voluntary service to the Maroondah community.
Alex with Council's CEO, Frank Dixon and volunteers who were recognised for 35 years of voluntary service to the Maroondah community.

The strength of a community can be measured by the number of volunteers and I would to thank everyone that has dedicated their time to volunteering within the municipality. The speech provided during the reception is available within this post:

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Media Release: Maroondah’s volunteers recognised

Posted on by alex

Time is a valuable commodity in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But time is something that Maroondah City Council’s volunteers are willing to offer every day as they assist their fellow community members and our natural environment.

Maroondah City Council hosted a special function at the Karralyka Centre on Thursday 11 November to recognise the valuable work done by the huge number of volunteers who help to support and deliver the services and facilities provided by Council.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said approximately 500 volunteers who give their time to Meals on Wheels, Social Support services and Planned Activity Group, which provides support and social activities for Maroondah’s frail aged and people with disabilities, Community House Committees of Management, Wyreena Community Arts Centre, and Maroondah Art Gallery.

“In addition there are volunteers from Council’s bushland and sporting reserves who contribute their time to our natural environment and they are also to be thanked and commended for their efforts and contribution to the Maroondah community,” Cr Makin said.

“All Maroondah City Council volunteers were invited to the ceremony in recognition of the tremendous work they have achieved over the past year. Special awards were also handed out to 43 volunteers in recognition of their extended periods of service – ranging from 10 to 35 years,” Cr Makin said.

This year, there are four Meals on Wheels volunteers and one AC Robertson Reserve Committee of Management volunteer recognised for an outstanding 35 years of service.

Four volunteers, who worked with Meals on Wheels, Hughes Park Committee of Management or Heathmont Bushlinks, were recognised for 30 years of service.

A further two volunteers were recognised for 20 years of service, 12 volunteers for 15 years and 20 for 10 years of service.

Such long-term loyalty to volunteering highlights the obvious level of satisfaction and fulfilment that Council’s volunteers receive.

“The Maroondah community is indeed fortunate to have a wonderfully dedicated base of volunteers who strengthen and extend the social, environmental and cultural dimensions of our city,” Cr Makin said.

“Why not help to grow our volunteers by offering your time and skills to a variety of Council programs, such as Social Support Services where you can provide a friendly hand or ear for the frail elderly; Bushcare to help manage and improve our valuable bushland areas; Meals On Wheels; or Committees of Management for parks, reserves and community houses,” Cr Makin said.

To find out how you can make a rewarding and valuable contribution to the Maroondah community through volunteering, call Council on 1300 88 22 33.

– ENDS –

Media Release: Draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and Pricing Policy on public display

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Maroondah City Council has endorsed the draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and the draft Community Facilities Pricing Policy for public display.

The policies were presented at the Council meeting on September 20.

Council currently owns or manages more than 100 sports fields, pavilions, halls, meeting rooms and other facilities on behalf of the community.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said the draft policies were developed concurrently and were directly aligned.

“The draft policies provide a comprehensive framework for the community use of Council owned or managed facilities,” Cr Makin said.

“The draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and the draft Community Facilities Pricing Policy will guide the process of determining appropriate occupancy agreements and pricing structures for all Council owned or managed facilities and ensure the agreements are consistent and transparent,” Cr Makin said.

“The draft policies aim to establish clear frameworks so the community groups know what they are paying for, why they are paying and that other users groups in similar situations are contributing in a consistent manner,” Cr Makin said.

“Under the draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy community groups wishing to use Council owned or managed facilities will have to undergo an assessment to determine the suitability of the proposed arrangement and the length of tenure. Once this assessment has taken place Council will then discuss the rate of rental,” Cr Makin said.

“There are two existing policies relating to the occupancy and the pricing of community facilities, however these policies have not been updated for a number of years. During this time there has been changes to legislation, increased emphasis on risk management and occupational health and safety requirements and changes to the way the groups are using the facilities,” Cr Makin said.

“To meet these new needs Council has also reassessed the pricing structure associated with the use of Council facilities. The current pricing structure has been in place for the past 11 years and was established with the intention that Council could recover an estimated 30 per cent of facility maintenance costs,” Cr Makin said.

“In the past 11 years that margin has dropped significantly and Council is currently recovering on average 3 per cent of maintenance costs for the sporting grounds and 15 per cent for the pavilions,” Cr Makin said.

“Council believes the sporting grounds and community facilities are integral to the development of a strong community, which is why we subsidise and support the many groups which use them,” Cr Makin said.

“We need to have a system in place which allows for the reasonable, transparent and equitable use of these facilities,” Cr Makin said.

The policies cover most Council owned facilities or grounds including:

  • Council Owned Community Halls
  • Community Centres
  • Kindergartens
  • Senior Citizens Centres
  • Sporting Pavilions
  • Sports Grounds and sporting activity surfaces
  • Scout and Guide Halls
  • Facilities managed by Council Committees of Management
  • Maroondah Federation Estate

The draft policies will be on public display until October 26. Those wanting to make a submission must do so before this date. Following consideration of the submissions the policies will be amended where appropriate and Council endorsement will be sought.

– ENDS –

Opening of the Glen Park Pavilion

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Glen Park, located in Bayswater North, is home to Glen Park Community Centre, as well as sporting facilities, including an oval, which is used by the Croydon South Cricket Club and the Ringwood East Junior Football Club.

Alex with Mike Symon, the Member for Deakin, at the opening of the Glen Park Pavilion
Alex with Mike Symon, the Member for Deakin, at the opening of the Glen Park Pavilion

Glen Park is part of the Bayswater North Neighbourhood Renewal Project and as a result Council Future Directions Masterplan, which identifies community improvements within the precinct. The new pavilion provides dedicated facilities for the sporting clubs and provides additional space for the Glen Park Community Centre.

Alex at the opening of the Glen Park Paviliion
Alex with Mike Symon, the Member for Deakin, at the opening of the Glen Park Pavilion

This evening I joined Mike Symon,the Member for Deakin, in officially opening the new pavilion. The speech I delivered is within this post:

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Maroondah Partners in Comunity Wellbeing Committee

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The Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee meets on a quarterly basis to oversee the implementation of Maroondah’s Community Wellbeing Plan.  The plan aims to improve the wellbeing of the Maroondah community through working in partnership with other organisations, many of which are represented on the committee.

Priority areas in the plan include:

  • Promoting healthy minds and healthy choices
  • Developing engaged and resilient communities
  • Creating accessible and safe communities
  • Promoting lifestyle opportunities that support health and wellbeing
  • Targeting equity and social inclusion
  • Achieving healthy and sustainable environments

Cr Ann Fraser and myself are the two Councillor representatives on the the Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee and there is a newly formed Safety Committee which is represented by Cr Rob Steane.  These two committees provide a collaborative approach to the health, safety and wellbeing of our community.

Media Release: Peter Gurr resigns from Council

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“It is with regret that I advise the Maroondah community that Peter Gurr has resigned from his role as a Councillor of the City of Maroondah, effective 31 December, 2009,” said Mayor of Maroondah, Councillor Alex Makin.

“Peter was elected to the first Maroondah City Council in March 1997, and has served the Arrabri Ward continuously across five terms of elected office,” said Cr Makin.

During his thirteen year term of office, Peter has been Mayor of Maroondah on three occasions:

  • March 2000 to March 2001
  • December 2006 to December 2007
  • December 2008 to December 2009.

“Peter has made a wonderful contribution to the Maroondah community. In particular he has been a committee member of the Arrabri Community House for many years, many times as Chair. He has also been Chair of Council’s Business Advisory Board and Audit Advisory Committee on a number of occasions,” said Cr Makin.

“Over the years, Peter has also represented Council on a range of committees and boards, including the Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee; the Maroondah Tourism and Heritage Advisory Board; the Melbourne Valley of the Arts Marketing Board; the Ringwood Town Centre Working Group; the Municipal Association of Victoria; and the Ringwood Eisteddfod,” said Cr Makin.

“My fellow Councillors and I offer Peter, and his wife Helen, our best wishes as they move onto the next phase of their lives,” said Cr Makin.

The process to fill the vacancy in the Arrabri Ward will be managed by the Victorian Electoral Commission via a countback using the votes cast at the November 2008 Maroondah City Council election,” said Cr Makin.

“It is important that the community be aware that the resignation of a Councillor does not trigger a by-election for the vacant position,” said Cr Makin.

The Victorian Electoral Commission has set Wednesday 27 January as the date for the countback. Time is yet to be confirmed. The elected candidate will then take up the remainder of the Council term through to November 2012.

Unsuccessful Arrabri Ward candidates in the November 2008 Maroondah City Council election were:

  • Robyn Barrand
  • Aaron Carlson
  • Tony Dib
  • Christina Gleeson
  • James Jamison
  • Neil MacDonald
  • Brian Robinson
  • Neil Rose

It is anticipated that the newly elected Councillor will be sworn in at the next Council meeting on the 15th of February.

Eastern Transport Coalition – Final Meeting as Maroondah’s delegate

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The Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) is a Council based advocacy group seeking to improve public transport within the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Member councils include the City of Maroondah, the City of Greater Dandenong, City of Knox, City of Manningham, City of Monash, City of Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Each year councils determine the Councillor representation on committees. While I had been Maroondah’s representative on the ETC since being elected in 2006, I felt it was now time to provide another Councillor with the opportunity to represent Maroondah on this committee to expand the knowledge and expertise on public transport issues within Council.

As a result, I’m pleased to announce that Cr. Michael Macdonald will now be Maroondah’s representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition. Michael has expressed an interest in public transport issues and it is great to see that the need for public transport improvements is recognised within Council.

I attended tonight’s meeting to assist with introducing Michael to the group and to provide some background on the priorities of the Eastern Transport Coalition. I am confident that Michael will be a great asset to the ETC and public transport advocacy.

Despite no longer being on the Eastern Transport Coalition I will continue to advocate for public transport improvements. As Mayor I have refused the mayoral car and will be continuing to use public transport to attend council and community commitments. Furthermore I will continue advocating for improvements to bus and train services as well as the much needed redevelopment of Ringwood Station.

2010 promises to be an exciting year for the Eastern Transport Coalition and I look forward to Michael’s involvement in the committee, as well as Maroondah’s continued advocacy for public transport improvements.

Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing – final meeting for 2009

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The Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, meets on a bi-monthly basis to discuss initiatives that improve the health, safety and wellbeing of municipality and its residents. This year’s priority has been the development of the Maroondah Community Wellbeing Plan.

This plan, otherwise known as a Municipal Public Health Plan, is a statutory requirement and is a high-level strategic document that guides the Council in terms of health, safety and wellbeing initiatives and partnerships with other key agencies.

The Community Wellbeing Plan will be formally considered by Council in December, after extensive engagement with service providers and the wider community, through stalls, surveys and interviewing. In addition, the Marooondah Partners will be aligned with the new Community Wellbeing Plan, and hence will be known as the Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee.

Nominations through expressions of interest will be sought from service providers and community members. This will empower the committee so that it is able to monitor the implementation of the Wellbeing Plan and suggest recommendations as required.

The Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing has been one of the committees I have enjoyed the most and the adoption of the Plan will provide a renewed focus and direction for the group.

2009 Maroondah Volunteer Recognition Evening

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The Maroondah Volunteer Recognition Evening provides an opportunity to recognise the many volunteers within Maroondah, including members of Meals on Wheels, Committees of Management, community organisations and Bushcare groups.

The evening also acknowledges volunteers that have contributed many years of service to their community and demonstrates the strength and longevity of volunteerism within our municipality.

Maroondah is fortunate to have many volunteers that contribute to the wellbeing of our municipality and their passion is to be congratulated.

Norwood Hall Users Luncheon

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This afternoon I was invited to a luncheon for the committees of the groups that utilise Norwood Hall, located at Norwood Park along Warrandyte Road in Ringwood North.

Norwood Hall is one of Maroondah’s most highly utilised community buildings and houses several groups including Enjoying Planned Retirement, North Ringwood Seniors and Ringwood U3A. In addition, the Ringwood Arts Society and the Ringwood Historical Society are also located within the facility.

Ringwood U3A, Enjoying Planned Retirement and the North Ringwood Senior Citizens share the main facilities between themselves and with such a large number of users, it is important that the groups are able to cooperate and share facilities.

The luncheon, which is organised in turn by each of the groups, provides an opportunity for committee members to get to know one another and to discuss the aims of each groups. This year’s luncheon was hosted by Ringwood U3A and was extremely successful with each of the three groups speaking about the cooperation that exists within the facility.

While each of the groups do have a different focus, there are shared goals between the groups and it is encouraging to see this cooperation between them.