Post Election Meeting 2024
Date: Monday, 8 April 2024 at 10:00AM
Location: Noosa Shire Council Chambers , 9 Pelican Street , Tewantin , QLD 4565 , Australia
Organiser: Noosa Shire Council
Duration: 00:40:32
Synopsis: Deputy Mayor Brian Stockwell elected by secret ballot, Unity and SPARC affirmed, Disaster leadership set (Mayor Chair, Phillips Deputy/Recovery), Committees continued pending review, Hinterland meeting planned.
Meeting Attendees
Councillors
Frank Wilkie Karen Finzel Amelia Lorentson Jessica Phillips Brian Stockwell Tom Wegener Nicola Wilson Executive Officers
Acting Chief Executive Officer Larry Sengstock Director Community Services Kerri Contini Director Corporate Services Trent Grauf Director Infrastructure Services Shaun Walsh AI-Generated Meeting Insight
Key Decisions & Discussions Frank Wilkie: Confirmed all councillors present and opened the post‑election meeting with three reports to decide (00:06; Minutes preamble). Larry Sengstock: Outlined statutory requirement to hold a post‑election meeting within 14 days and appoint a Deputy Mayor under s175 Local Government Act 2009, with secret ballot process if multiple nominees (01:12; Item 2.1). Frank Wilkie: Standing Orders suspended and later resumed to allow Deputy Mayor discussion (03:04; Item 2.1). Brian Stockwell: Nominated, argued capability via prior regional planning representation and committee chairing skills (03:49–06:24; Item 2.1). Karen Finzel: Nominated, emphasised outward‑facing engagement, organisational knowledge, and team building (06:27–09:22; Item 2.1). Amelia Lorentson: Nominated, asserted democratic mandate as top vote‑getter and clean OIA record; urged unity and diversity representation (09:29–16:48; Item 2.1). Larry Sengstock: Conducted secret ballot; announced Deputy Mayor as Brian Stockwell (16:52–25:33; Item 2.1). Frank Wilkie: Motion to appoint Brian Stockwell carried unanimously after debate on unity and SPARC values (25:33–26:58; Item 2.1). Larry Sengstock: Explained Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) roles; typical practice is Mayor as Chair; not compulsory (28:43–32:43; Item 2.2). Frank Wilkie: Nominated himself as LDMG Chair; nominated Jessica Phillips as Deputy Chair and Disaster Recovery Chair citing her policing experience; carried unanimously (33:09–35:07; Item 2.2). Larry Sengstock: Proposed continuing existing committee structure for three months while options are explored; appointments to two Standing Committees and General Committee required (35:35–37:38; Item 2.3). Frank Wilkie: Council approved continuation of Planning & Environment and Services & Organisation Committees under s264 LGR 2012; each committee to appoint its own chair per s267; adopted meeting calendar to 30 June 2024; requested report on potential revised structure from 1 July; committee memberships set; carried unanimously (37:38–end; Item 2.3). Contentious / Transparency Matters Amelia Lorentson: Pressed a “top vote‑getter should be Deputy” precedent, referencing 2020 practice; framed decision as a test of democratic principles (09:29–16:48; Item 2.1). Process: Use of a secret ballot for Deputy Mayor reduces public visibility of individual votes yet conforms to described meeting procedure (01:12; 16:52; Item 2.1). Frank Wilkie: Addressed potential division post‑ballot, urging adherence to SPARC values and unity; unanimous formal resolution masks underlying contest (25:33–26:58; Item 2.1). Community access: Mayor flagged moving at least one ordinary meeting into the hinterland within three months by removing the “Tewantin chambers only” wording—improving visibility of Council in community settings (37:38–end; Item 2.3). Legal / Risk Statutory compliance: Deputy Mayor appointment expressly grounded in s175 Local Government Act 2009; meeting held as post‑election session within required timeframe (01:12; Item 2.1). Governance framework: Continuation of Standing Committees under s264 and chair appointments per s267 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 ensures lawful delegation structure and role clarity (Item 2.3). Decision integrity: Suspension and resumption of Standing Orders to permit candidate statements and secret ballot reflects defensible procedural fairness (03:04; 25:33; Item 2.1). Disaster roles: LDMG Chair/Deputy designations clarify spokesperson and recovery leadership, reducing operational ambiguity during emergencies (28:43–34:56; Item 2.2). Transition risk: Short‑term continuation of current meeting model with a flagged review balances stability with reform; report due for potential change from 1 July 2024 (35:35–37:38; Item 2.3). Community Engagement, Disaster Readiness, and Governance Settings Community engagement: Plan to hold at least one ordinary meeting in a hinterland hall within three months signals intent to decentralise access and visibility (37:38–end; Item 2.3). Democratic mandate debate: Lorentson tied Deputy Mayor selection to election vote counts, challenging custom versus codified law; Council opted for experience/continuity via secret ballot (09:29–16:48; 25:33; Item 2.1). Disaster readiness: Mayor as LDMG Chair aligns with community expectations of a single truth‑holder and spokesperson; Phillips’ policing background strengthens recovery leadership capacity (28:43–34:56; Item 2.2). Committee appointments: Planning & Environment: Wilkie, Lorentson, Stockwell, Wegener; Services & Organisation: Wilkie, Finzel, Phillips, Wilson; General Committee: Mayor and all councillors (Item 2.3). Cultural tone: Mayor emphasised SPARC values and resilience post‑contested vote to maintain functional cohesion early in term (25:33–26:58; Item 2.1). Meeting discipline: Unanimous formal votes on all three items demonstrate procedural unity despite competitive Deputy Mayor contest (All items; Items 2.1–2.3).
Official Meeting Minutes
MINUTES Post Election Meeting Monday, 8 April 2024 10:00 AM Council Chambers, 9 Pelican Street, Tewantin Crs Frank Wilkie (Chair), Karen Finzel, Amelia Lorentson, Jessica Phillips, Brian Stockwell, Tom Wegener, Nicola Wilson “Noosa Shire – different by nature” POST ELECTION MEETING MINUTES 8 APRIL 2024 1. ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES COUNCILLORS Cr Frank Wilkie (Chair) Cr Karen Finzel Cr Amelia Lorentson Cr Jessica Phillips Cr Brian Stockwell Cr Tom Wegener Cr Nicola Wilson EXECUTIVE Acting Chief Executive Officer Larry Sengstock Director Community Services Kerri Contini Director Corporate Services Trent Grauf Acting Director Infrastructure Services Shaun Walsh APOLOGIES Nil 2. REPORTS DIRECT TO THE MEETING 2.1. APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY MAYOR Council Resolution Moved: Cr Frank Wilkie Seconded: Cr Karen Finzel I move that the operation of the Standing Orders or any relevant provision thereof be suspended to allow to allow discussion regarding the appointment of the Deputy Mayor. Carried unanimously. Council Resolution Moved: Cr Frank Wilkie Seconded: Cr Jessica Phillips That Standing Orders be resumed. Carried unanimously. Council Resolution Moved: Cr Frank Wilkie Seconded: Cr Nicola Wilson That Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer (Acting) to the Post Election Meeting dated 8 April 2024 and appoint Councillor Brian Stockwell as Deputy Mayor in accordance with Section 175 of the Local Government Act 2009. Carried unanimously. POST ELECTION MEETING MINUTES 8 APRIL 2024 2.2. APPOINTMENT OF LOCAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT GROUP CHAIRPERSON AND DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON Council Resolution Moved: Cr Frank Wilkie Seconded: Cr Karen Finzel That Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer (Acting) to the Post Election Meeting dated 8 April 2024 and: A. Appoint Cr Frank Wilkie to the role of Chairperson of the Local Disaster Management Group; and B. Appoint Cr Jessica Phillips to the role of Deputy Chairperson of the Local Disaster Management Group and Chair for the Local Disaster Recovery Group. Carried unanimously. 2.3. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE PROPOSED MEETING TIMETABLE UNTIL 30 JUNE 2024 Council Resolution Moved: Cr Frank Wilkie Seconded: Cr Brian Stockwell That Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer (Acting) to the Post Election meeting dated 8 April 2024 regarding the continuation of Standing Committees and the adoption of the Council meeting timetable until 30 June 2024 and: A. Approve the continuation of the Planning and Environment Committee, the Services and Organisation Committee, and the General Committee as Standing Committees under section 264 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, with the relevant roles and responsibilities identified in the Chief Executive Officer’s report; B. Note that pursuant to section 267 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, each Committee will appoint its own chairperson; C. Adopt the times and dates of future meetings of the Council and Committees in accordance with the Meeting Calendar until 30 June 2024 shown at Attachment 1 to the report. D. Prepare a report to Council with potential revised meeting structure from 1 July 2024 to be presented in next available meeting round; E. Appoint the following Councillors to each of the Committees: Planning and Environment Committee Mayor Frank Wilkie Councillor Amelia Lorentson Councillor Brian Stockwell Councillor Tom Wegener Services and Organisation Committee Mayor Frank Wilkie Councillor Karen Finzel POST ELECTION MEETING MINUTES 8 APRIL 2024 Councillor Jessica Phillips Councillor Nicola Wilson General Committee The Mayor and all Councillors Carried unanimously. 3. CONFIDENTIAL SESSION Nil. 4. MEETING CLOSURE The meeting closed at 10:42 AM.
Meeting Transcript
Frank Wilkie 00:06.100
Okay. Well, welcome everybody to the first meeting of the new term. This is the post-election meeting. It is a special meeting in very many regards. I'd like to begin by acknowledging that we're meeting on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi people. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. I note we have all councillors have all councillors in attendance. For the record they are Councillor Jessica Phillips, Councillor Nicola Wilson, Councillor Brian Stockwell, Councillor Amelia Lorentson, Councillor Tom Wegener and Councillor Karen Finzel. Welcome to the new new term. Jessica Phillips 00:38.525
Thank you, Mr Mayor. Thank you. Frank Wilkie 00:40.505
As I said before, it is a special meeting in many ways, and my commitment to you all is providing you with the best advice and support to help you make the best decisions possible in the best long-term this community, and that occurs primarily in meetings like this, so I wish you well and every success in your term. We have three reports direct to the post-election meeting, and the first item is the appointment of the Deputy Mayor. Mr CEO, could you please give us a summary of the report and the process that we're about to undertake? Larry Sengstock 01:12.085
You, Mr Mayor. Under Section 175 of the Local Government Act 2009, within 14 days of the election conclusion and the declaration of the councillors, are to have a post-election meeting, which this meeting is. At that meeting we are to appoint a deputy mayor as the first point of order. So we're proposing to do that in this meeting. as part of this agenda. So the way that we'll do that is I'll ask you to call for nominations for that position. If there are more than one that require a vote, then we'll have a secret ballot vote, which we're set up for if required, where councillors will all, seven, including the mayor, seven, including the mayor, will vote on the positions and it's an exhausted vote. So if there's more than two, then we'll take all three. The person with the lowest votes drops out, then we go with the next two and we vote again on those two and we get to a position of deputy mayor. Okay, so that's the process and if you'd like to now call for nominations, we can go for it. Frank Wilkie 02:29.371
Right, we'll get straight into it councillors. Can we have a show of hands of any councillor who'd like to nominate for the position of deputy mayor? We have three nominations and Councillor Brian Stockwell, Councillor Amelia Lorentson, Councillor Karen Finzel. Larry Sengstock 02:51.880
Okay, so the process will be that we will provide you with three minutes each to, sorry, we need to, sorry, suspend standing orders now. Frank Wilkie 03:04.260
Okay, I'd like to move that we suspend suspend standing orders to, oh yeah. I'd like to move that we suspend standing orders to allow discussion to take place regarding the appointment of the Deputy Mayor. Can I have a seconder for that, please? I'll give you a second. Seconder, Councillor Karen Finzel. All in favour? That's carried. That's carried. Larry Sengstock 03:24.388
We'll now conduct the secret ballot. Okay, so the process is that we've agreed to allow each of the candidates or each of the nominees to speak for three minutes on their position and why they should be elected as Deputy Mayor. Frank Wilkie 03:43.223
Who would like to go first? Brian Stockwell 03:49.480
So councillors in my opinion there's two key roles of a Deputy Mayor. The first is the public facing role and to stand in the Mayor's stead in in their absence or when delegated to do so. To fulfil this role you need a thorough grasp of both the contemporary issues that are being discussed in their genesis in the community and council. You need to have the ability to communicate the council position in line with policy and desirably with the credibility bestowed by a track record of support for the adoption of the position. The Mayor needs to be assured that you have the knowledge, experience and capabilities to represent the Shire. I believe with my extensive experience and relevant professional background fulfil the role of Deputy Mayor well. For example, I regularly deputise for Mayor Stewart at the Regional Planning Committee in the last term, which is a ministerial forum with all the mayors of South East Queensland. The forum allowed me relationships with the minister, now premier, his key advisers, as well as other mayors. The other public facing role of deputy mayor has been the chair of the important general committee. I'm confident of the necessary skills and experience in chairing meetings, which together with a thorough working knowledge of standing orders would enable me to effectively undertake that task. The second role is part of a political leadership team. These functions are inward facing. To be effective the Deputy Mayor should be able to provide strategic support, policy advice and suggestions on process to the Mayor on key issues as requested. Over the last two terms my strategic positions have been similar to the Mayor's on We share a desire to embody the long-held Noosa values and a commitment to the environment and the community. As part of the leadership team I believe I can aid the Mayor in charting a course forward that creates a Shire that is different by nature for generations to nature for generations to come. I can bring decades of learning and research and extensive experience on topics of fundamental importance to the future of Noosa. An effective Deputy Mayor will also be an ambassador within the organisation through embodying the SPARC values. I have always been passionate about and committed to the Noosa Council mission, have a track record of walking the walk and known for honest, genuine, but not being afraid to think differently. I'm committed to a process of continuous improvement with my fellow councillors and staff to ensure the position of Deputy Mayor is supportive, enabling collaboration between councillors, staff and our partners in the community through respectful communication, encouragement of one another and in achieving... shared goals. Thank you Councillor Stockwell. Frank Wilkie 06:24.545
Who would like to go next? Karen Finzel 06:27.845
Thank you. Frank Wilkie 06:29.865
Councillor Finzel. Karen Finzel 06:30.845
Thank you very much. Good morning and welcome to the people in the gallery and the people around the table. I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the election campaign and for the opportunity to be considered for this position. I believe that I'd be good at this role because I understand and have experience in the Council. I understand the experience of leadership and how I'd be able to support the Mayor in his role and stand around this table and be able to collaborate with each one of us collectively, individually and as an organisation. I believe that I would I believe that I would be able to support the Mayor with my experience of this organisation, what I've learned over the past four years, and how I'd be able to support the Mayor in leading each of, all of us, and this community. I understand the civic duties of this role, and in the last four years I've been out to community, and I have outward faced the community in open, and honest dialogue. I believe that together, collectively, we need a strong, outward facing council that can meet the needs of the community and relate to them with matters of their concerns, and also also be able to reflect the organisational values and our strategic positions and where we're heading into the future. I feel that I'm good at communication and that I can openly and transparently and effectively deliver to our community what they need to hear and how they can I understand the organisational activities and how this organisation works, from the lowest worker to the top worker around the executive table, and I will be diligent in my duties in delivering those strategic plans. each other and the organisation. As for building a team, I think that I'm very good at being able to bring the team together and be able to have open dialogue with each other and have emotional intelligence to understand us as individuals and each other and how we can get the job done. I would be honoured to represent the community at all levels of this organisation and be able to contribute effectively. I believe that jointly we'll be able to formulate our decisions and work together, encourage each other to support and shape transformative transformative leadership and set concrete goals for this term with the council, with each other and with our community. That together we can build a council that our community will be proud of. Frank Wilkie 09:20.742
Thank you. Councillor Finzel. Karen Finzel 09:22.942
Thank you. Amelia Lorentson 09:29.880
Firstly, I'm deeply grateful for the overwhelming support that I receive from our community. Regardless of the outcome today, I'm committed to working towards unity for our community's progress and prosperity by working diligently and respectfully with Mayor Wilkie and the entire council and focusing on the betterment of Noosa. Unity what our community deserves and it's what it desires. With regards to the position of Deputy Mayor, I believe that I'm the best choice for this position for the following reasons. One, I received the most amount of votes and community support. The fact that I received the most votes demonstrates a clear message from the community. It signifies that a significant portion of the Noosa community trusts and supports my leadership and prioritises balance over... over share experience. Two, precedence. In 2020, the outgoing Mayor, Clare Stewart, nominated Councillor Frank Wilkie as Deputy Mayor, based on previous experience as a Deputy Mayor, but the main reason... the main reason was that he had the community confidence as he, quote, "topped the votes during the 2020 election." His nomination was supported unanimously. This aligns with the principle of respecting the community's wishes. It also indicates a precedent that aligns with democratic principles. That is, the person with the most votes gets elected. Upholding this Upholding this tradition of democratic precedence ensures consistency, and more importantly, it respects the will of the electorate. Experience and ethical conduct. four years of experience on the council has allowed me to navigate the intricacies of local government effectively. I have dedicated the past four years to this role, working tirelessly for up to 10 hours to six to seven days a week. I do not have a side business or another paid job. This has always been my primary self-focus and my only job. My commitment is unwavering at a hundred percent and during this time I've invested heavily in building relationships and understanding the values and concerns that matter most to our community. Furthermore I have a clean record without any charges or findings of findings of inappropriate conduct by the Office of Independent Assessor that underscores my ethical and responsible approach to public service. Strong woman vote and diversity. The recent election underscored the strong support for certain candidates, especially women, highlighting a significant shift towards valuing diverse perspectives and leadership styles. I would be honoured to represent this ethos as your deputy mayor. Diversity in thinking enriches our discussions and decision-making processes. better outcomes for everyone involved embracing this diversity strengthens inclusivity and strengthens gender representation within the local government five community values and priorities the recent election results where inexperienced newcomers received thousands of up to more than 2,000 more votes than the experienced councillors suggest that the community prioritises criteria beyond just experience if experience was the most important criteria then the candidate with the most experience should have got the most votes that did not happen our community community opted for a different style of leadership the community prioritised balance over experience it's crucial that we respect and respond to what the community values and expects from its unity and collaboration I am dedicated to upholding the values of integrity diligence and respect in all my interactions with the mayor and the entire council I'm committed to prioritising unity and teamwork and working towards outcome that benefit our community I firmly believe that appointing me as deputy will significantly contribute to to unity and cohesion within both the council and the community in the upcoming term as was evidenced by the positive impact of council Wilkie's appointment as deputy last term. You served as you served as a unifying force within our community and our council. In conclusion, councillors, today's decision carries more significance than simply simply appointing a deputy mayor. It's a test. It's a test of our commitment to democratic principles and our commitment to listening to our community. Shouldn't the voice of the electorate representing the people that we serve hold more weight than the opinions of seven of us seated around this table? I wouldn't be standing here today if I had not received the most votes. Doing so, in my opinion, would not only disrespect the candidate with the most votes, but also, in my opinion... also, in my opinion, would disrespect and disregard the voice of the people we are elected to represent. There is one reason, Frank Wilkie, you are sitting here as Mayor. You've got the most votes. That is the main reason you were nominated by outgoing Mayor Stewart for the Deputy position four years ago. This is how our democracy works. The community has spoken and the councillor with the most votes, in my opinion, should be Deputy Mayor. The community In this election, it's me. That's why I seek your support for the position of Deputy Mayor. I ask that you respect the wishes of our community. Respect democratic precedence. Acknowledge and respect my record of ethical conduct and experience and entrust me with the responsibility of serving as Deputy Mayor and allow me to support you, Mayor Wilkie, and the entire council and contribute to the continued success of Noosa. community is prioritised above all else. Frank Wilkie 16:48.336
Thank You Councillor Lorentson. Mr. CEO. Larry Sengstock 16:52.476
Okay so what we'll do is we'll hand out the cards you just need to write down the name of the person that you're voting for place them with a well-being. For place them in the box over there then Amelia and I and I'll get Shaun to help me as a scrutineer to make sure that we count those if we have a and because of the seven seven votes and three three nominees we may get to a point where there's some somebody or two people at the same number of votes we might have to go back in and and revote on on those two but we'll see how this pans out, okay? So yes if you want to come up and do it up at the lectern so therefore you can do it privately. Okay, thank you. Subtitles want to watch yourself or you don't want to watch yourself? So we're now voting for the two remaining councillors. I can then announce that the Deputy Mayor is Brian Stockwell. Frank Wilkie 25:33.440
Thank you Mr. CEO. Congratulations Councillor Stockwell. Thank you. And commiserations to Councillor Finzel and Councillor Lorentson. I now move to resume standing orders. Can I have a seconder please? Resume standing orders. Councillor Stockwell. All in favour? That's carried. So I move the recommendation that the Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer to the post-election meeting dated 8th of April 2024 and appoint Councillor Stockwell as Deputy Mayor in accordance with Section 175 of the Local Government Act. May I have a seconder for that please? Sorry, I should speak to the motion before we put that to the vote. Councillors, we have just been put to our first test, which is a divisive vote. was always going to be a councillor elected as Deputy Mayor and a councillor who was going to experience disappointment. I'm heartened by what I heard around this table about commitment to unity and also during our training on the SPARC values, the cultural values, which talks about respect and professionalism at every opportunity. That's very easy when things are going well, but those values are always tested in adversity. today is our first test. So I'm encouraging you and support you in adversity, and I'm hoping that we can hold true to professional and respectful relationships despite adversity. And we're going to face a lot this term, and this is the first. For a bit of context, I had faced four elections before I became Deputy Mayor, and I have every confidence that there is a bright future ahead for Councillor Lorentson and Councillor Finzel and all new councillors. You have the qualities that speak to longevity and resilience and professionalism. So please, let's get behind Councillor Stockwell as Deputy Mayor and I know he will serve well because his experience has been recognised Councillors, thank you for your vote today. It was a difficult one. Anybody else wish to speak to the motion? I'll put it to the vote. Those in favour? That's carried unanimously. Thank you, Councillors. The next item on the agenda is the appointment of a local disaster management group chairperson and deputy chairperson. Mr. CEO, can you give us a summary of this report and the vote that may follow on this one, please? Larry Sengstock 28:34.220
Certainly. Sorry, I neglected to stand in the first one. Yeah, me too. It was my fault. Frank Wilkie 28:39.980
Thank you for the advice, Councillor Stockwell. Larry Sengstock 28:43.356
My apologies. The Local Disaster Management Group is a really important group that is part of our disaster management across the Shire. It involves not only people from Council but all of our servicing agencies as well. So if there is a disaster, we're fully planned and able to stand up and act in the appropriate way should a disaster occur. Okay, what we... meet on a quarterly basis formally in this chambers to discuss anything and make sure our plans and everything are on track and if there are any imminent dangers that we see coming forward whether it be flood, fire or the likes or weather events, other weather events. We as council we appoint a chair of that group as well as a deputy chair. The chair is the chair of the of the overall LDMG as we call it. Runs the meetings but also should there be a disaster for example flood where council is responsible to take to take the leading role in a flood in a fire it's it's other agencies but in a flood but also in any disaster that person then takes takes the responsibility of councils efforts during a disaster and is also the spokesperson during that because it's the formal spokesperson and that's really really a very, very important role going into any disaster as we've seen over the number of years recently, where you need a single spokesperson to be the holder of the truth and to be the relayer of the As it stands with the data as it stands. So what we are looking to do today is to elect that first of all as the chair of the LDMG. Then we also have the deputy chair of the LDMG, which which is the disaster recovery group. And that's a very important role too, because after the disaster, there's a whole lot of cleaning up, there's a whole lot of work to do during the disaster, but then there's a cleaning up as well as the psychological and the social impact of these these disasters have on many many people. So that person then takes on that role to chair that group and that again is an extremely important role and even with the disasters that we've had in 2022 with the flood that we had here, that role is here that role is still continuing so that work is continuing even to over two years later we're still in recovery mode so it's very very important that we have both of those roles filled and they're very very important to us as a community but during disasters and post and free in fact with the planning so what we're doing today is we need to call for nominations firstly for the chair of the LDMG and then we then we need to call for nominations for the Deputy Chair of the LDMG. If there are more than one nominee, then we'll go to a vote. Same process we've just gone through with the Deputy Mayor. Question? Yes. Frank Wilkie 31:58.988
Question: Who normally performs the role of the Chair and why? Please, Mr CEO. Larry Sengstock 32:04.328
In my experience, the Chair has been the Mayor because, again I think the community tends to look up to... During a disaster, they want the head of the State or the head of the community or the head of the Shire to take that role. That's been the case. It's not necessarily... compulsory, that's the position, but that's, you know, that's been the position, I think, if you look across all levels of government and local governments, and that's the position, but again, it's not compulsory, so it can be, if somebody else wants to put their hand up, then there. quite entitled to do so. Frank Wilkie 32:43.640
So if you could call nominations for that. Well, I'm calling for nominations of the chair, and I'll nominate myself as the mayor for that. I think the mayor needs to be front and centre. The mayor needs to be front and centre during a disaster, so I nominate the mayor in the position, the mayor in that role. Do we have any nominations? Larry Sengstock 33:04.825
Are there any other nominations? For chair? Frank Wilkie 33:09.225
Okay, do we have nominations for the deputy chair? Larry Sengstock 33:11.945
Yeah, we can hold that one, the chair one, until we vote on both recommendations at the end. So if we can call now for nominations for deputy chair. Frank Wilkie 33:19.425
Deputy chair. Councillor Jessica Phillips, are there any other nominations for deputy chair? Looks like there's only one nomination Mr. CEO. Yes, okay. So in that case, if I can move to moving the motion, I appoint Councillor Wilkie to the role of Chairperson of the Local Disaster Management Group and appoint Councillor. the role of Deputy Chairperson of the Local Disaster Management Group and Chair for the Local Disaster Recovery Group. It's a dual role. Do we have a seconder for that please? Seconder, Councillor Finzel. Okay, thank you councillors. That's very straightforward. I think it is important that the Mayor is front and centre of any disaster. As the CEO said, the community expects that and I would certainly do my best to play my role in that regard. It's expected and I'm fully cognisant responsibilities of that. I welcome Councillor Jessica Phillips in the role of Deputy Chairperson of the Local Disaster Group and Chair for the Local Disaster Recovery Group. She does have the experience as a policewoman and has worked in that space and been present during these events before and I feel very confident that we have the right person in that role. Experience is a big factor there so I fully endorse you. Fully endorse you as the Deputy Chair. Jessica Phillips 34:54.391
Thank you Mr Mayor. Frank Wilkie 34:56.671
Any other councillors wish to speak to the motion? You would like to Nicola? No. Jess would you like to speak to the motion? Jessica Phillips 35:06.271
No, that's fine, thank you. Frank Wilkie 35:07.731
Alright, I'll put it to the vote. Those in favour? That's carried unanimously. Now move to the third item on the agenda which is the committee structure and proposed meeting timetable until June 2024. Larry can you give us an update on this three-month meeting schedule please. Larry Sengstock 35:35.620
Okay as part of this this first formal meeting as well we are to try to do the deputy mayor, the heads of the LGMG and also to agree the schedule for our meetings going forward. What we're proposing here is that we do the first three months of our meeting schedule. So we're currently where we have our two subcommittees or two committees that lead into the general committee that lead into the ordinary meeting. We, during the last cycle, we had some discussions around whether that was the right model going forward given there's been changes over the last four years in the way that we operate and the way we conduct meetings with cameras. And the like in terms of being able to be in the meetings and external. So we'd like to explore that and investigate that. So what we're proposing is we just do the first three months. And during that three months, we have more discussions around the table in terms of whether that's the right model going forward or whether there are better models. And there are a lot of different models across the country. Every council has a different model, pretty much. we just want to explore whether that's the right model for us. So we just want to explore. So we're proposing that the first three months we continue with our current state, which is what we've had, the two PME and the SNO, as they're called, and then the general committee and the formal ordinary meeting where the final tick of approval is given to the recommendations. so we're proposing that if we're all in favour then we can do it we can we can change this meeting structure at any time during the four years but we're just saying over this first three months give us a chance to have a chat about with new members around the table and see if that's the right model going going forward. And we may all agree that that is, or we may not, we may like to tweak it a little bit. So that's all we're proposing. And also at this meeting then we need to, if we agree to that, then we need to then appoint members to the two subcommittees. SNO and the PME committees. Frank Wilkie 37:38.872
Okay, thank you Mr. CEO. Any questions of the CEO before I move a motion? Councillors, I'd like to move the motion as presented here. It's slightly changed to what appears before you in your reports. That is that we approve the continuation of the Planning and Environment Committee, the Services and Organisation Committee and the General Committee as standing committees. Committees under Section 264 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 with the relevant roles and responsibilities identified in the Chief Executive Officer's report. Note that pursuant to Section 267 of the Local Government 30, 2024, shown at attachment one to the report. Full stop, sorry, colon. prepare a report to council with potential revised meeting structure from 1st of July, 2024, to be presented in the next available meeting round. appoint the following councillors to each of the committees. Planning and Environment Committee: Mayor Frank Wilkie, Councillor Amelia Lorentson, Tom Wegener. Councillor Brian For the Services and Organisation Committee: Mayor Frank Wilkie, Councillor Karen Finzel, Councillor Jessica Phillips, Councillor Nicola Wilson and the General Committee, the Mayor and all councillors. May I have a seconder for that please? Councillor Stockwell. Well, councillors, I move this. this motion with the site change taking out with meetings to be held at the council chambers at Tewantin, because that accommodates our collective wish to take ordinary meetings out into the community, various locations, preferably in the hinterland on the first occasion, sometime within the next next three months. So sometimes within the next three months we'll have at least one meeting in a hinterland, preferably in a hinterland hall. The other items there are the appointments to the committees and we can appoint the chairs at the first sitting of these committees and I hope that meets with your approval. else wish to speak to the motion? Okay I put the motion. All in favour? That too is carried unanimously. Councillors that brings us to the end of the agenda for the first meeting of our term post-election meeting. According to the calendar that we adopted today the next ordinary meeting will be at 10:00am. on Thursday 18th of April 2024. I thank you all for your patience and your discipline today and I declare the meeting closed at 10:41. Related Noosa Council Meetings
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