How we are governed

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How we are governed

The VLGA Board manages the business and affairs of the Association, setting and overseeing policy on behalf of and in accordance with the wishes of our members.

About the VLGA Board

The VLGA Board has the power to perform all such acts and things as appear to the Board to be essential for the proper management of the business and affairs of the Association.

Elections for the positions of the Board take place in February every two years with the next election due to be held in February 2013. Each member of the Board holds office for two years and is eligible for re-election. All VLGA individual members, member community organisations and councillors from member councils are eligible to vote.

The Board consists of the six councillor members (including the President, and three non-councillor members). The Board also has the power to co-opt under the Constitution.

The VLGA Board is guided by a Governance Framework which is regularly updated. A copy of the Governance Framework can be requested by calling the Director of Governance, Ron Exiner on
T: (03) 9349 7999 or send email.

VLGA Board Members

Cr Samantha Dunn
President
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Samantha Dunn was first elected to the Shire of Yarra Ranges council in 2005 and is now serving her second term as a councillor.

Up until recent times Samantha worked as a financial controller in the not for profit sector in the area of apprenticeships and traineeships. She now dedicates her time wholly and solely to local government.

Yarra Ranges is an interface council, a mix of urban and rural areas on the Eastern fringe of Melbourne, which has allowed Samantha to learn and understand a broad range of issues affecting rural, regional and urban communities.

Samantha is passionate about community and its wellbeing and thinks it is important to be an advocate on local communities’ behalf. She represents her local area on a number of different committees mainly focussed on environment, transport, the early years and community safety and wellbeing. She is a committed and passionate member of the Dandenong Ranges community and is focussed on improving liveability in the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Samantha is the current Chairperson of the Eastern Transport Coalition and plays a key role in advocating for sustainable transport and reducing car dependency across the east of Melbourne. She is also a board member of the Eastern Regional Libraries Corp, and represents Yarra Ranges on a number of different groups including the Shire’s Advocacy Reference Group.

Samantha was elected president of the VLGA in February 2011 after serving a past term on the Board as Treasurer. Samantha is committed to the vision of the VLGA and believes the community’s voice is important in local democracy. Samantha believes the VLGA reflects the important mix of community members, community groups and local government working together to enact progressive social change and uphold the principles of good governance.
Cr Heinz Kreutz
Vice President
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Cr Heinz Kreutz works as a senior lecturer at Monash University's School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics. He dedicates most of his spare time to his local community, especially the residents of Lynden Ward in the City of Boroondara, where he was first elected to Local Government in 2002.

His interests cover a broad spectrum - languages, linguistics, translation studies at work, and social justice, local government and the environment at the community level. In addition to his position as a VLGA Board member, he is chairman of the Metropolitan Waste Management Board, and serves on the Melbourne Metropolitan Transport Forum and Environment Advisory Group of the Municipal Association of Victoria.

Heinz, who was elected to the VLGA Board in February 2009 and has served as the VLGA President, feels that the VLGA has gained immensely in respect and standing and is stronger than ever. He attributes this to our ability to stay above party politics and truly represent our diverse membership equally and fairly.
Richard Brown
Vice President
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Richard has a background as a local community activist spanning nearly forty years, with a particular interest in planning, sustainability and local development issues.

He has also worked extensively with local government, as a project manager and a consultant and is currently employed by the Moreland and Hume City Councils coordinating their East Timor friendship projects.

Richard is also the current Chair of the VLGA’s Timor-Leste Advisory Group.

He is committed to supporting the development of strong partnerships between community groups and organisations and local government as an important source of energy and fresh ideas at the local level.
Cr John Doull
Treasurer
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John has extensive experience across a broad spectrum of local government leadership activities in his role as an elected official. This has been complimented by his six year association with the VLGA, four years being on the Board. During this time he has been a strong advocate for ‘best process’ reflected in our recent professional CEO recruitment and proper written legal constitution. In addition, he has supported VLGA events including LEF’s, annual tours, and leadership and training programs.

Being a VLGA Board member enables broadening of his portfolio responsibilities at the City of Greater Geelong, particularly around climate change and sustainable futures.

John is excited about the prospect of a committed VLGA Board influencing both newly elected governments on major issues such as climate change and Local Government recognition as examples.
Cr Luba Grigorovitch
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Upon election to Hobsons Bay City Council Luba was keen to put up her hand to be the VLGA delegate as she had prior knowledge and first-hand experience with the VLGA.

Luba has always had an active involvement in the community, with social justice and equality for all, uppermost in her mind. She has a solid background of education, government procedures, community involvement, travel and life experiences.

Being a VLGA Board member allows one to ensure the aims and policy direction are followed whilst being progressive and helping to strengthen and expand the VLGA as the representative of democracy in our communities. Luba feels that the role of the Board as the decision making body of the VLGA is to encourage discussion and digest the views of all members then act accordingly.
Dr Clare Mouat
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Dr Clare Mouat brings a passion for good governance, collaborative planning, and healthy community living, and is excited to share her wealth of expert knowledge in community development and urban transformation gained here and overseas.

Clare is a Lecturer in Urban Planning (University of Melbourne) and a committee member on the Women’s Planning Network. Her award-winning PhD (University of Auckland) challenged mainstream thinking about community in planning by reviewing the role of planners and citizens in building strong communities. Her research interests focus on practical issues in policy and planning including urban governance, smaller cities, multiculturalism, families and children in community development. Her teaching includes “Social planning”, “City Futures” and “Economies of Cities and Regions”. Through teaching, research, and personal experience, Clare is developing her interest in improving policy and planning for devloping regional and smaller cities.

As your elected community representative, she will listen, learn, and represent your issues and priorities. Clare genuinely invites you to contact her to discuss VLGA matters to facilitate working together towards achieving the VLGA purpose, mission, and values.
Bill Penrose
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Bill has served as a Board member and Vice President for several years and has supported and assisted with the growth in the workload and development of the VLGA reputation.

His vision for the VLGA is to see it continue to grow in its leadership while supporting councils and community groups with community consultation.

His interests include training and the need to assist all users of local government, community groups, officers and councillors, to work with integrity and confidence in their dealings with the community and all levels of government.

Bill was a councillor for 10 years (one year as Mayor) and has worked with the VLGA for many years to help make it a strong and functional organisation.

For the last six years he has been on the VLGA Board and committed to further developing the VLGA.

His background outside of local government is as a satellite and communications engineer and Bill now works with computer software.
Cr Christine Richards
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With experience spanning three successful careers in law, media and local government, Christine is no stranger to Boards. As a Law Reform Commissioner in two states, a sitting member of three Victorian authorities, a co-editor of an international publishing co-operative and most recently Mayor of the municipality in which she lives, she is an experienced ‘board-room’ contributor and decision-maker.

Holding Bachelor degrees in both Arts and Law from Melbourne University, Christine was a social justice lawyer for 13 years. Her media career started at ABC’s 4Corners, and spanned radio production and presentation across the ABC network. As co-editor of New Internationalist magazine, she worked overseas on major reports from Sri Lanka, West Papua, China and Papua New Guinea. Her radio work has won two awards.

Christine – an independent – was elected to Frankston City Council in November 2008, and elected Mayor one year later. By the end of her mayoral term, the Frankston Councillor team was conflict-free for the first time in more than a decade and had achieved major financial and policing commitments from the new Baillieu Government together with significant progress in drought-proofing the municipality.
Cr Collin Ross
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Cr Collin Ross was elected to the Cardinia Shire Council, a growth-corridor and rural council, in November 2008. He was elected to the VLGA Board in February 2011, and is proud to say that he has attended all the VLGA Leading Edge Forums in 2010 and in 2011 to date.

He believes that a representative from an Interface Council, with 5.5 families a day moving in, is a great benefit to the VLGA Board. Collin is also an executive board member of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees’ Union (8 years), President of the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council (6 years) and past President, now deputy, Victorian Food Industry Training Board.

Collin believes in this time of a new Government it is important to strongly express our members’ and groups’ views and policies.