Special Edition - Election results, CEOs and municipal monitors

Thursday 7th November special edition with the first batch of official results from Victorian council elections, plus news of a Council CEO's resignation, and the appointment of municipal monitors.

Victorian Local Governance Association
The VLGA is an independent organisation supporting councils and councillors in good governance.

Transcript

The VEC has commenced the release of official count results for councils around the state.

In Central Goldfields Shire Council, where there are seven single member wards, Ben Green has been successful after preference distribution in Paddy’s Ranges Ward, defeating incumbent former mayor Chris Meddows-Taylor.

Other successful candidates announced are Liesbeth Long (Flynn Ward), Gerard Murphy (Maryborough Central Ward), Jacob Meyer (Maryborough East Ward), Geoff Barlett (Maryborough North Ward), Grace La Vella (unopposed in Maryborough West Ward) and Anna De Villiers (unopposed in Tullaroop Ward).

At Mount Alexander Shire Council, five of eight wards were uncontested.

Of the three contested wards, Bill Maltby has been successful in Campbells Creek Ward, while Coliban and Calder Wards will require the distribution of preferences to determine a result.

Rosie Annear, Toby Heydon, Matt Driscoll, Lucas Maddock and Rosalie Hastwell were elected unopposed.

The one contested ward at Corangamite Shire has gone to incumbent councillor Jo Beard with 68 per cent of first preference votes. The remaining six wards were uncontested which means the entire council is unchanged for the coming term.

The five successful candidates at West Wimmera Shire are first time candidate Helen Hobbs, Tim Meyer, Jodie Pretlove, Richard Hicks and Tom Houlihan. Former mayor Bruce Meyer has been defeated.

At Horsham Rural City Council, successful candidates are Dean O'Loughlin, Cam McDonald and the only incumbent to be returned, Ian Ross.

Preference distributions are required to determine two wards which are expected to result in more few faces on the council.

Two other positions were uncontested resulting in the election of Brian Klowss and Rebecca Sluggett.

In a shock development, MAV President David Clark has failed to win re-election to Pyrenees Shire Council.

Mr Clark has lost out to challenger Simon Tol by a seven percent margin on first preference votes.

Other positions on the council will be filled by Rebecca Wardlaw, Damian Ferrari and Tanya Kehoe.

Preference distribution will be required to determine the final position in Mount Emu Ward.

For **Loddon Shire Council,** three positions were uncontested resulting in the unopposed election of David Weaver, Dan Straub and Gavan Holt.

Miki Wilson has won the contest for Inglewood Ward, and in Tarnagulla Ward, Nick Angelo has been successful.

Results for the unsubdivided municipality of Towong Shire have seen the election of former mayors David Wortmann and Andrew Whitehead, and recent deputy Denise Anderson, along with Jon Pitman and Peter Tolsher.

Greater Dandenong voters are electing 11 members to the council in single member wards. One election was uncontested, and sees Sophie Tan elected unopposed.

Incumbent mayor Lana Formosa has been successful in Noble Park Ward attracting over 55 per cent of first preference votes, while Phillip Danh with 58 per cent of first preferences has defeated challenger Ian Cook in Yarraman Ward.

Incumbent Bob Milkovic has prevailed with 52 per cent of first preference votes in Dandenong North Ward, while former mayor Jim Memeti polled strongly in a two candidate field in Dandenong Ward to retain his position on the council.

Six wards will go to preferences with results to follow in the coming days.

Yarra Ranges Shire Council results have been announced.

Successful candidates announced are Tim Heenan, Richard Higgins (unopposed), Fiona McAllister (unopposed), Jeff Marriott, and Len Cox.

Preferences will be required to determine the remaining four spots on the council.

Former mayor Jim Child looks likely to hold one of those positions, while incumbent mayor Sophie Todorov is in a tight battle to retain her seat.

Results are coming in from Banyule City Council where one position was uncontested, resulting in the election of Elizabeth Nealy unopposed.

Election wins have been credited to incumbents Alida McKern and Peter Castaldo, and former councillor and mayor Rick Garotti.

Five wards will require preference distribution to determine a result.

Listeners have asked about the current status of the count at Colac Otway, Ararat and Mansfield councils.

The VEC is yet to publish anything official but those results are likely to come today along with a host of others from around the state.

Unofficially we know that at Colac Otway Shire, Jason Schram leads the way and should secure the first of seven positions on the council.

The Colac Herald reported that Chris Potter and Zoe Hudgell were next in line on first round votes.

Incumbent Tosh-Jake Finnigan, who resigned from the council prior to the election, was sitting in seventh position.

At Ararat Rural City Council, incumbent Jo Armstrong looks to be in a strong position to be returned, along with recent mayor Bob Sanders. Preferences will help to determine the remaining positions on the council.

The Mansfield Courier has reported on the count to fill five positions from nine candidates for Mansfield Shire Council.

Experienced councillors James Tehan and Steve Rabie lead the count and look certain to be re-elected.

In more breaking news:

Local Government Minister Melissa Horne has named the municipal monitors who will guide the newly elected Councils at Casey, Whittlesea and Strathbogie.

Peter Stephenson and Cameron Boardman will serve at Casey - Mr Stephenson is finishing his term as administrator at Strathbogie Shire, and Cameron Boardman will transition from the panel of administrators at Casey into the municipal monitor role.

At Whittlesea, current administrator Peita Duncan will work with experienced local government administrator Jude Munro.

And Marg Allan, a former monitor at Moira Shire, will take on that role at Strathbogie Shire.

The monitors will be in place for 12 months from the 6th November.

The CEO of Benalla Rural City Council, Dominic Testoni, has resigned to take up a senior level position at Macedon Ranges Shire.

Mr Testoni, CEO at Benalla since 2019, will be the new Director of Assets and Operations at Macedon Ranges, the position held by Shane Walden before his appointment as CEO of Golden Plains Shire.

Mr Testoni is expected to finish up at Benalla in mid-January. Macedon Ranges Shire Council

Goulburn Mulwaree Council has confirmed the resignation of its CEO Aaron Johansson, following media reports on the weekend.

An Extraordinary Meeting of the Council will be held on Thursday 7th November to appoint an interim CEO, and authorise the commencement of a recruitment process which is expected to take around 3 to 5 months.

Mayor Nina Dillon said there would be no impact on service delivery.

Mr Johansson is on annual leave and is not expected to return.