Jenny Blake
JENNY Blake will once again take office as mayor of the Golden Plains Shire.
The veteran councillor was voted in as mayor for 2012-2013 on Thursday night by the newest council Golden Plains has seen.
Four new councillors were this year elected to join the seven-strong council, meaning the majority of positions are now filled by fresh faces.
Councillor Blake has been on the council since 1996 and served as mayor from 2008 to 2010.
She re-enters office in the midst of one of the more uncertain times the council has faced.
With Golden Plains one of the fastest growing shires in Victoria, Cr Blake said there was a real challenge in managing growth when there was “not a lot of money around”.
“In many ways we are in fairly uncertain times,” she said. “We are growing at a rapid rate over what is actually a really expansive shire. Managing growth can be difficult when there is not a lot of money around.
“You’ve got towns like Ross Creek, Smythes Creek, Smythesdale and Napoleons that are booming.”
Coming from a farming background, Cr Blake has always tried to maintain direct contact with the community. She also works part-time in the disability sector.
Cr Blake said she often tried to visit residents randomly at their houses when she had spare time, a practice she said she hoped to continue throughout her new term as mayor.
“I really enjoy talking and listening to people, that’s what I like about local government,” she said. “It’s good because you can still become so involved in the community and still play a role on council.”
Cr Blake will serve a minimum of a one-year term.
patrick.nolan@thecourier.com.au