Mayor's Message – 3 September 2024
Published on 03 September 2024
September was a very busy month here at Council and I’d like to share some news, opportunities and highlights with you.
We love our local businesses here in our shire and want to do everything we can to help them flourish.
One of the ways we’re doing that is making sure there’s enough suitable land for them to operate on.
We have a range of sectors that need suitable land such as manufacturing, trades and construction, artisans, fabricators, and boutique food and clothing suppliers.
Right now, our shire has a critical shortage of industrial land and this threatens the future of their growth.
We’re working to create a strong plan to provide for sustainable growth of our industries in the shire.
In the coming months we’ll be asking you for your input on this so we can tackle this important issue together.
Keep an eye on our Facebook page and www.shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au for opportunities to have your say.
You can also email n.lord@mountalexander.vic.gov.au if you’d like to receive project updates directly to your inbox.
In other news, Council elections are coming up which is an exciting time for us.
Local government elections are held every four years and I’ve had the privilege of being a Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Mayor here in Mount Alexander Shire.
Something new which is happening this year is that there’ll be a new ward structure in our shire.
For the last four years we had seven Councillors but from this year we’ll have eight Councillors with one representative from each ward: Barkers Creek, Calder, Campbells Creek, Coliban, Forest Creek, Loddon River, Moonlight Creek and Tarrengower.
Voting closes on Friday 25 October at 6.00pm and you’ll be required to vote by post.
Elections are managed by the Victorian Electoral Commission and you can find more information at www.vec.vic.gov.au. You can also visit our website for Mount Alexander Shire Council specific information at www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/CouncilElections.
Finally, you might think it’s early for us to be thinking about Australia Day – Survival Day but a lot of work goes into organising our award-winning community event.
Part of the day includes our Australia Day Awards ceremony, which celebrates the exceptional people in our community who go above and beyond to make a difference to the people around them.
Nominations are now open so it’s time to start thinking about the special people in our community who deserve recognition for their hard work.
There are four categories open for nomination:
- Citizen of the Year
- Senior Citizen of the Year
- Young Citizen of the Year, and
- Event of the Year
These awards are a fantastic way to celebrate the generous people in our community, and there’s no better way to do it than on a sunny summer day in Castlemaine.
It’s tough competition every year to choose someone for each category but I’m looking forward to seeing what nominations come through.
Applications are open until Monday 2 December so there’s plenty of time to have a think about who you want to nominate.
To find out more and nominate someone, head to www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/AustraliaDaySurvivalDay.
Before I sign off for this month, I’d like to remind you to contact your local Councillor if there’s an issue you’d like to raise – we are here for you.
Till next month, take care.
Mayor Matthew Driscoll
Mount Alexander Shire Council
Image: Mayor Matthew Driscoll with Freddie Merkin