By BRIDGET COOK
WHEN Amanda Stapledon took on the mayoralty of Casey she set three areas she wanted to focus on during her term – strategic growth, economic development and social justice initiatives.
With her term coming to an end on Monday night, Cr Stapledon said her year could not have gone better in all of those areas.
Cr Stapledon completed the 75-kilometre Mayor’s Walk for Disability to raise money and awareness for disability issues and was involved with regional plans for economic growth, the extension of a philanthropic foundation in Casey and setting visions for the city’s future.
“As mayor I made a commitment to focus on strategic growth, economic development and social justice initiatives and I am delighted that, together, we have delivered some amazing projects,” she said.
“Not only have we delivered some great things in those areas in the past year, but also set a lot of things in motion.
“On a regional scale, our partnership with Cardinia Shire Council to launch the Casey Cardinia Business Group and Investment Attraction Partnership is promising.
“Our work setting the vision and plan for Casey for the next four years through the development of the council plan was a highlight.
“Most recently, I had the pleasure of announcing council’s $100,000 contribution towards the Casey Cardinia Foundation, which sees the two councils come together again to increase the impact of the foundation to more readily respond to the challenges of today’s society.”
Cr Stapledon said a highlight of her year was the inaugural Mayor’s Walk for Disability in August, which had a personal connection given her son Pete has a disability.
“The two weeks that I spent trekking in all manner of conditions was a personally rewarding experience and I believe it also enhanced my aim to raise awareness of the critical service gaps facing people living with a disability and their carers in Casey,” she said.
“I’m so pleased that I was able to honour my commitment to social justice issues in such a wonderfully inclusive way, and I thank all the people who helped make this extraordinary event possible.
“I’m thrilled that will now become an annual event.”
Cr Stapledon said it wasn’t all highs though, and as a council they faced a number of challenges.
“I didn’t expect some of the challenges I faced, but I definitely think I grew as a person and leader because of them,” she said.
“The mosque issue was one of those challenges.
“However, I’m proud we based that decision on planning merits, as we are mandated to do.”
Cr Stapledon said another challenge, but also a highlight, was having five new councillors and two returned councillors in the group.
“It was a challenge, but also very rewarding, to settle in seven new councillors and skilling them up with the tools and support they needed to represent their communities well,” she said.
“They have done such a great job and it didn’t take them long at all to be up to speed.
“I’m a bit of a nurturer so I enjoyed fussing over them, even though they didn’t need much of it at all.
“It was really great to have a very diverse age range among the councillors as well.”
Cr Stapledon said overall her year had been amazing.
“It has been a pleasure to lead this terrific group of councillors,” she said.
“We have come together from diverse backgrounds with our own strengths and priorities, yet as a team we have been able to work in harmony and support each other to achieve some great outcomes for the community.
“This was a stepping stone forward for me.
“I’ve always enjoyed being a leader of Mayfield Ward, but the past year I’ve really enjoyed being a leader of the whole community.
“What’s impressed me most was the way the whole community embraced and accepted me.
“I never envisioned that I would be mayor and have the opportunity to serve such a great city.
“I am assured that there is no community quite like ours. This has been an opportunity of a lifetime and a year that I shall never forget.”
Cr Stapledon now plans to spend two weeks in the Gold Coast with her son Pete.
