Tag: municipality

Media Release: FloodSafe Week highlights the importance of preparation

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The heavy rain falls and subsequent flooding which affected parts of Victoria earlier this year highlighted the importance of being prepared for the unexpected.

Maroondah Councillor Alex Makin said the annual State Emergency Services FloodSafe Week, Monday 30 May to Friday 5 June, encouraged people to get involved and learn more about protecting themselves, their homes and their businesses during floods.

“Floods cause more damage in terms of dollars and lives lost, per year, than any other natural hazard in Australia,” Cr Makin said.

“The rain fall which hit Victoria in late 2010 and February 2011, and the flooding which occurred as a result, is a prime example of the importance of ensuring your property is able to cope should we be faced with this level of rain fall again,” Cr Makin said.

“Research that was conducted following the September 2010 floods in Victoria shows that 31 per cent of people living in the affected areas did not know their homes were prone to flooding and 35 per cent said they had not prepared for floods at all,” Cr Makin said.

“However a well prepared community can reduce flood damage by up to 80 per cent, which is why Council is supporting the SES FloodSafe Week and urging residents to take appropriate steps to ensure their property is in the best condition possible to prevent, or at least minimise, the impacts of flooding,” Cr Makin said.

“Council is also doing its bit to ensure that the Municipality’s storm water drainage network is able to cope if the storms continue to worsen,” Cr Makin said.

“In the event of a flood Council’s operations team will conduct initial investigations to determine whether there is a blockage or other issues associated with Council’s stormwater pipes which may have contributed to localised flooding,” Cr Makin said.

“If no issues are found the matter is referred to Council’s engineering and infrastructure team, for further investigation, which will include assessing the capacity of the system,” Cr Makin said.

“Since the recent floods, investigations into Council’s stormwater drainage system has increased and Council is currently reviewing whether or not it needs to change the way the stormwater drainage network is designed and managed,” Cr Makin said.

“Council has a responsibility to property owners to ensure that the Council owned and operated drainage system is clear and functioning so it can capture any stormwater,” Cr Makin said.

“In times of excessive rainfall Council also needs to ensure that designated overland flow paths can handle the excess stormwater and work effectively to prevent properties from being flooded,” Cr Makin said.

“Council’s underground stormwater drainage system has historically been designed to a capacity of a one in five year magnitude storm, which is consistent with the industry standard” Cr Makin said.

“In the event of a storm of greater magnitude, the excess water is generally handled by designated overland flow paths which are created along drainage gullys, creeks or other low land points, during the initial developments stage of housing estates,” Cr Makin said.

“Council’s engineers are currently putting together a program to undertake detailed catchment analysis and flood mapping of the municipality which will help to determine appropriate solutions to stormwater management and may lead to improvements to underground pipe systems and overland flow paths to capture stormwater more effectively,” Cr Makin said.

“Investigations of the stormwater network and the associated improvement works is focussed on areas of land which were severely impacted during the recent flooding, with areas with property inundation taking precedence,” Cr Makin said.

“Council in conjunction with the SES is developing a Maroondah City Council Flood Emergency Plan which will assist in the identification of flooding risks and indicate suitable measure which can be undertaken to reduce and manage the risk of flooding,” Cr Makin said.

“Council working alongside the community to maintain Council-owned infrastructure and residential properties is the best way to ensure we are prepared in the event of heavy rainfall, and hopefully minimise the impacts of major flooding in the future,” Cr Makin said.

The best way to prepare for floods is to:

  • Learn the risk for your home and/or business
  • Prepare an emergency kit
  • Put together a home or business emergency plan
  • Keep a list of emergency numbers near your telephone
  • Check your insurance policy
  • If a flood warning is issued, listen to your emergency broadcaster for advice and check your neighbours are aware of the situation
  • NEVER walk, ride or drive through floodwater. Driving through floodwater is the number one cause of death during floods
  • NEVER allow children to play in floodwater. This is the number one cause of death during floods for children and teenagers

Throughout FloodSafe Week, SES volunteers will be running events in and around Maroondah. For more information or to learn about preparing a home emergency plan or home emergency kit, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au

– ENDS –

Media Release: Croydon man prosecuted for littering

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A Croydon man has been convicted and fined $1635 after pleading guilty to three separate littering offences.

Maroondah Councillor Alex Makin said the matter was heard at the Ringwood Magistrate’s Court on Monday 7 February.

“Following an extensive investigation by Council officers the man was charged with three separate offences for dumping bags of printer cartridges during September and October,” Cr Makin said.

“The man was placed on a good behaviour bond, ordered to pay court costs of $635 and to contribute $1000 to a charity nominated by the Court,” Cr Makin said.

“Council is extremely pleased with this verdict, especially given the nature of the products being dumped. Any goods which contain hazardous chemicals, like printer cartridges, are extremely hazardous to residents and the environment and need to be disposed of appropriately,” Cr Makin said.

“Council will not tolerate the dumping of rubbish in our beautiful municipality. We take these matters seriously and will do all we can to ensure that those who participate in this illegal action will be held accountable,” Cr Makin said.

“At the end of the day dumping rubbish in our municipality not only impacts the environment and appearance of our suburbs, it also comes as a major cost to ratepayers,” Cr Makin said.

“Council has a number of processes in place to ensure residents can dispose of their rubbish easily and safely,” Cr Makin said.

“Maroondah households with a residential waste service are entitled to two hard waste collections of up to two cubic metres per financial year. When households require a hard waste collection, residents need to register with Council and they will be provided with a date in which they can place their hard waste on the nature strip,” Cr Makin said.

“For those who aren’t sure if their waste is eligible to be collected as part of this service simply pick up the phone and speak to one of Council’s customer service officers who will be able to assist you to dispose of your waste correctly,” Cr Makin said.

As a reminder, the correct procedure to follow when making a hard waste booking is:

  • Ring Council on 1300 88 22 33 to make a booking.
  • Place acceptable items out in a neat pile the weekend before your collection.
  • Put the ‘booked’ collection sticker supplied to you by Council on your pile facing the roadway.

– ENDS –

Maroondah Weekly: Council tightens rules on pets

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Maroondah was previously the only Council in Victoria without on-lead and off-lead provisions for dogs within the municipality. As a result this has created confusion for residents and meant that areas of significant biodiversity were unable to be protected.

Following extensive community consultation Council adopted new on-lead provisions at its November Council meeting, providing certainty for residents and clearly defined off-lead and on-lead areas. The Maroondah Weekly has reported on this change:

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the changed laws were in response to community concerns over the lack of specific animal controls in the region. “Under the new laws, dogs must be under effective control at all times while in the public. This means they must be on a leash or in a designated off-leash area.”

These changes mean that dogs are required to be on a lead unless in a designated off-lead area. Council has ensured that designated off-lead areas are located throughout Maroondah, while also protecting remnant bush reserves, with twelve being designated no dog areas. In addition, a dusk to dawn curfew has been introduced for cats to ensure that they do not roam at night.

These changes will take effect from the 1st of January 2011 for further information please visit www.maroondah.vic.gov.au.

Media Release: The Lord Mayor joins forces with CAD Mayors to enhance city centres

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed between City of Melbourne’s Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle, and Mayors from the State Government’s six designated Central Activities Districts (CADs) – Frankston, Maroondah, Greater Dandenong, Hume, Maribyrnong and Whitehorse – on Monday 22 November at 9.30am in the Frankston City Council Chambers to officially cement their unanimous commitment to seek State Government support and funding to create the most productive, liveable and sustainable city centres. 

The MOU acknowledges that mutual benefit can be derived by these municipalities through measures of mutual support, collaboration and by providing a united voice and joint approach to lobbying.

Frankston City Council Mayor, Cr Christine Richards said these six metropolitan hubs have been selected to attract people, investment and jobs and it is pivotal they remain supported to achieve the objectives of the State Government’s Melbourne 2030 and Melbourne @ 5 million strategies.

“This is a historical political event – the joining of Mayors to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. The CAD municipalities are ready, willing and able to face the challenges ahead together to make our CADs thriving metropolises. However, we cannot do so without a whole-of-government commitment to CAD planning,” Cr Richards said.

Maroondah City Council Mayor, Cr Alex Makin, said despite the CADs individual differences, synergies do exist between the municipal city centres.

“This alliance means we can work co-operatively to provide a united voice with more weight that will give greater strength to plans and solutions to state-wide issues. We need a State Government supported implementation plan to ensure our city centres can achieve their designated potential,” said Cr Makin.

The Mayors’ will further discuss how to best achieve the objectives set out in the State Government’s Planning Policy Framework. The Mayors’ are unanimous that at a minimum CADs must:  

  • have a functioning transit interchange – to enable comfortable, quick and efficient journeys by buses and trains throughout each municipality – in some CADs substantial infrastructure funding is still required to make this vision a reality
  • create more local jobs – CADs need to expand their base of employers to create a greater range and number of local jobs available to local residents
  • create more affordable housing.

“This Memorandum of Understanding between the Central Activities District Mayors and the Mayor of the City of Melbourne will allow for increased co-operation between our municipalities and allow us to jointly advocate for our key priorities,” Cr Makin said.

“Our main priority at a state level is to secure a long term funding commitment for the CADs. With Melbourne quickly becoming a city of many cities, we want to ensure certainty for the respective CADs, as well as bolstering the opportunity for all levels of governments to provide more services across greater metropolitan Melbourne”, Cr. Makin concluded.

– ENDS –

Media Release: Leading the way to responsible pet ownership

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At the Maroondah Council meeting on Monday 15 November Council resolved to make an order under the Domestic Animals Act which will take effect on 1 January 2011.

The new laws include the introduction of on-leash regulations for all dogs in public places and a Dusk to Dawn curfew for all cats.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said the plan was a result of extensive consultation with the community and animal management experts, following community concerns regarding the lack of specific animal controls in Maroondah.

“We need to ensure that the management of Maroondah’s 14,600 registered dogs and 5200 registered cats is in accordance with State Government legislation and expectations of the community,” Cr Makin said.

“Council believes it has reached a considered outcome that leaves no one group unfairly disadvantaged. The new laws are underpinned by principles of fairness and equity, consistency with contemporary practice and a balanced approach to the differing community views on the issues,” said Cr Makin.

“During the consultation process we listened to our residents and taking their views into consideration we made changes to some of the areas designated as on leash or off leash areas,” Cr Makin said.

“Under the new laws, dogs must be under effective control at all times while in public, which means that they must be on a leash or in a designated off-leash area,” Cr Makin said.

“To give people more peace of mind while out and about in Maroondah, dogs must also be on a leash within 15 metres of playgrounds, picnic areas, barbeques, organised sporting events, sporting matches or training sessions or when on a shared use path,” Cr Makin said.

“For those who want to exercise their dogs off leash there are numerous locations across the municipality where this can be done. Residents can still enjoy walking their dogs off leash in these areas, as long as the dog is still under effective control, ” Cr Makin said.

The new laws also identify areas of significant conservation or biodiversity, which means that dogs are not permitted in these areas.

Cr Makin said a dusk to dawn cat curfew will also take affect from 1 January 2011.

“Cats can cause significant damage to the environment and wildlife when left to roam free, especially at night when a lot of native animals are out and about.

Council will conduct an extensive community education campaign to inform residents about the changes.

Maps outlining the off-leash areas throughout Maroondah will soon be sent to all registered pet owners. This pocket-sized brochure will also have tips on responsible pet ownership.

Information and maps showing designated off leash areas will also be available on Council’s website and at Council’s Customer Service Centres.

– ENDS –

2010 Maroondah Festival

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The Maroondah Festival is one of the largest community events within Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, attracting approximately 30,000 attendees and featuring dedicated community, business, sustainability, fitness, teenagers and children.

The weather remained largely pleasant throughout the day, providing a contrast to the hot weather experienced in previous years. The new location at Town Park also provides additional shade and ensures that activities are closer together making the festival easier to attend.

As the Mayor I delivered the opening speech for the Maroondah Festival, welcoming community members and highlights the partners that assisted in delivering the event:

Alex at the opening of the 2010 Maroondah Festival.
Alex at the opening of the 2010 Maroondah Festival.

On behalf of the Maroondah City Council I would like to welcome everyone to the 2010 Maroondah Festival.

In the spirit of Reconciliation, we acknowledge that we are meeting on land for which the Wurundjeri people have been custodians for many centuries, and on land which the Indigenous Australians have performed age old ceremonies.

We, Maroondah City Council, accept, respect and have shared with the Wurundjeri people in their customs of welcome.

The Wurundjeri people support the coming together of all people, respecting their individuality to focus on a unified and cohesive nation.

This year marks the 21st anniversary of this wonderful community event and we invite you and your families enjoy the beautiful sunshine and take part in the huge array of activities available here today, including some fresh new initiatives and of course the old favourites.

I would especially like to extend a warm welcome to Ringwood Honda as the principal sponsor of the 2010 Maroondah Festival. Be sure to visit the Ringwood Honda stand next to the Information tent to collect your free Honda merchandise and check out the latest range of Honda vehicles on display. There will also be an opportunity to talk to the friendly staff from Ringwood Honda and enter the draw to win some fantastic prizes including a Honda lawn mower valued at over $800.

At the Festival today, over 150 local groups and businesses have come together to provide information on their networks, goods and services. With their continued support, the Maroondah Festival has grown to become the most well supported community Festival in Melbourne’s east.

I invite everyone to visit the Denso Australia Group – Community Expo today and learn more about the valuable work undertaken by our fantastic local community groups.

We are also fortunate that we have many businesses in our municipality who support the Maroondah Festival. I would like to thank the following businesses for their generous sponsorship at this year’s festival:

  • Ringwood Honda: The principal sponsor of the Maroondah Festival
  • Bankwest – sponsor of the Main Stage
  • Denso Australia Group – sponsor of the Community Expo
  • Maroondah Weekly – our media partner
  • Anaconda – sponsor of the Fun and Fitness Arena
  • Ventura – sponsor of the Park n Ride service
  • Jalna – sponsor of the Fun and Fitness Walk breakfast

An event the size of Maroondah Festival requires a lot of planning and hard work and I would especially like to extend a huge thank you to all of the volunteers and staff assembled here today. In particular I would like to acknowledge the assistance of St John Ambulance and Victoria Police, and I would also like to thank the staff of Maroondah City Council and Fruitbowl Productions.

I hope that you enjoy the rest of the day, visit the Festival Information tent to find out about the huge array of activities on offer and be sure to take advantage of the free sunscreen.

Thank you all for being part of this fantastic event and celebrating our wonderful Maroondah community.

I would now like to welcome to the stage, the Yarra Valley School band.

2010 Chin New Year (Fang Er) Festival

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The City of Maroondah is home to a large number of migrants and refugees from Burma, with several ethnic groups settling into the municipality.

The Chin community, is one of the ethnic groups from Burma and this afternoon I attended their new year celebrations, known as Fang Er, which traditionally celebrated the harvest. The celebrations included singing, dancing and entertainment from members of the Chin community, as well as traditional rice cake which is part of the festivities.

It is great to see the Chin community embracing Maroondah and encouraging participation in their festivals.

The 2010 Maroondah Seniors Jazz Concert

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The Maroondah Seniors Jazz Concert, is an annual event organised through the Maroondah Healthy Ageing Network and is now in its second year. The Network comprises of over 30 senior groups and clubs, as well as service organisations and provides ongoing dialogue and collaboration for organisations that focus on the needs of senior citizens within Maroondah.

Today’s concert, which was held at the Ringwood Bowls Club also served as a fundraiser for the Maroondah Hospital, with half the cost of hall hire being donated, as well as raffles. The event, which was booked out, was primarily organised through the Eastern Rangers Retirees Club, National Seniors Australia (Ringwood Branch), Life Activities Club, Enjoying Planned Retirement, and the Ringwood Bowls Club.

The jazz afternoon was an excellent event and provided not only an afternoon of jazz but also provided support for Maroondah Hospital, a major health service provider within the municipality and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Maroondah Business Week Breakfast with David Schwarz

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Maroondah Business Week is an annual Council initiated program that aims to promote and enhance businesses within the municipality. The Week consists of workshops, tours and networking events offering a range of activities to cater to the business sectors within Maroondah.

One of these events is the Maroondah Business Week Breakfast, which featured David Schwarz as the speaker. David was a former footballer and Vice-Captain for Melbourne Football Club and discussed the challenges he faced during this career, including a gambling addiction, which he spoke about candidly during the breakfast session.

Alex with David Schwarz and Cr Rob Steane at the 2010 Maroondah Business Week Breakfast
Alex with David Schwarz and Cr Rob Steane at the 2010 Maroondah Business Week Breakfast

David’s openness set him apart from some of the speakers of other years and he spoke candidly about the difficulties in establishing a post football career. David’s comments reflect the need for ongoing perseverance and the advantages of networking within businesses and provided a number of parallels between his experiences and the challenges facing business.

As part of the proceedings I had the opportunity to introduce Maroondah Business Week and the speech I provided is available in this post:

Continue reading “Maroondah Business Week Breakfast with David Schwarz”

2010 Maroondah Hospital Fun Run

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The Maroondah Hospital Fun Run is an annual event that raises funds for Maroondah Hospital and the services it provides. The event takes place around Ringwood Lake and it is fantastic to see several hundred participants being part of the event.

Maroondah Hospital, located in Ringwood East, in a major health provider within the municipality and serves the Maroondah region and beyond. The hospital holds a number of events throughout the year to engage the community and to augment its funding levels.