By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong’s two most experienced councillor-elects will vie for the 2020-’21 mayoralty in coming days.
Angela Long and Jim Memeti will lobby their nine newly-elected colleagues ahead of the mayoral vote on Thursday 19 November.
For the first time, up to two deputy mayors will be elected at the same meeting.
Ms Long, a two-time mayor, claimed her seventh term as a councillor since 1998 with 27 per cent of primary votes in Cleeland Ward.
Four-time mayor Jim Memeti – who will be pitching for his second consecutive term as mayor – has been on council since 2005.
He romped home in Dandenong Ward with a 61 per cent outright majority.
Ms Long, who last served as mayor in 2000 and 2012, said she was equipped to lead after a “dreadful” Covid-struck year.
“I think I’m experienced enough. We’ve went through a couple of rough times in my first term,” she said, citing Dandenong’s recovery from the Heinz factory closure.
“Then, we had businesses open up and taking on workers retrenched from Heinz.
“We can build that back up again.”
For the coming term, her priorities will be the rebuilding of Dandenong Oasis aquatic centre and the creation of Dandenong Community Hub.
Ms Long also pledged to work with the council’s economic development unit to help businesses recover from the Covid lockdowns.
She was supportive of the council’s $2500 business grants as well as the push for more outdoor dining areas in central Dandenong in summer.
Mr Memeti pointed to his experience at the helm given the loss of long-serving councillors Roz Blades, Peter Brown, Youhorn Chea, Matthew Kirwan and Maria Sampey.
“We’ve lost so much experience and having had a really difficult year this year, I’d like to be part of the Covid recovery.”
As part of that support, Mr Memeti pledged to continue the council’s $340,000 Covid material aid program, free on-street parking in central Dandenong and free permits for outdoor dining.
He also pledged to deliver Dandenong Community Hub, a redeveloped Dandenong Oasis aquatic centre, sealing unpaved sections of Dandenong Creek Trail and a toilet for Norine Cox Reserve.
He said he’d “unite the council the work together for the betterment of the community”.
“We have to make sure we’re flexible with the community and with businesses. These are unprecedented times – we don’t know what to expect at the other end.”
