Recognising LG’s high achievers
At the 2009 Local Government Managers Australia National Congress in Darwin, Local Government FOCUS invited delegates to nominate individuals or teams from their councils who are
improving operations or enhancing service delivery within their community.
In this edition, we showcase the first two of our high achievers for 2009.
Evonne Ewins, Director Community Services, Devonport City Council, Tasmania
As a coastal city in the centre of Tasmania’s North Coast, Devonport City Council is home to over 26,000 residents and acts as a service hub to a regional population of 60,000 people. The vibrant metropolis of the Devonport area ensures an excellent range of services and amenities to a diverse and energetic community.
As Director of Community Services, Evonne Ewins is responsible for ensuring these services are available. She oversees community development, recreation and culture, which encompasses child and family initiatives, community safety, youth services, the Imaginarium Science centre, and recreational facilities, such as the aquatic centre, Devonport Regional Gallery, an entertainment and convention centre, as well as Council events.
The Devonport Regional Gallery is a creative initiative of Council. First established as a privately managed commercial gallery known as the Little Gallery in 1966, it has operated as a public facility since 1983. Every two years the gallery attracts entries from across the nation to its unique Arts Award program –‘TIDAL’ – and accessions works to add to the Devonport City Permanent Collection.
Council is the only public organisation in Australia to focus solely on collecting works of art, craft and design by Tasmanian artists, and gallery visitors have enjoyed years of quality exhibitions, public programs and displays.
Evonne said it is challenging but very rewarding to be able to provide services like this, which are outside the normal or required business of Local Government.
Evonne has always had a passion for working closely with the community, having been involved with community organisations since she was just 15 years old. Her involvement with these organisations, and her role in facilitating and delivering community engagement strategies, conducting research, attracting and securing grants for them, developed over the years, eventually leading her to Local Government.
“I love to work with people and to feel connected to the community,” Evonne said. “I get a real kick from empowering others and I particularly enjoy the diversity of Local Government and the opportunities it provides to act as a driver of change. Of course, this doesn’t happen without a highly skilled team at my side.
“Devonport is a small community and we are lucky to have a large number of strong partnerships and networks in place. This keeps my job exciting, as there are endless opportunities to facilitate change and make a difference.”
Evonne said a career highlight was securing a $500,000 grant to develop the ‘Lighthouse Can Do Will Do’ project. This early intervention initiative equips young ‘at risk’ people and young offenders in the Devonport area with role models and mentors who provide them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful in life. The project delivers diverse community based activities to re-engage young people with their community through the fostering of ownership, community pride, connectedness and relationships.
With a 98 per cent attendance rate, the program is an effective safety net for young people.
Alderman Grant Goodwin nominated Evonne to appear in FOCUS. He said she gives 101 per cent to Council and is extremely focused on all activities pursuant to her position.
“She is a pleasure to work with,” he said.
Evonne is currently working with Council to develop community plans for the future. As part of this process, Council is undertaking a community engagement process with the aim of creating a fully integrated plan that incorporates financial and social sustainability for the future, as well as residents’ social and recreational behaviours.
“We want it be as interconnected as possible, so that it is achievable, thorough and successful,” Evonne said.
Dorrigo Maintenance Team, Bellingen Shire Council, New South Wales
Climbing to over 1,500 metres, with panoramic views across the mountains, over the Bellinger Valley and along the coast of northern New South Wales, lies the Dorrigo Plateau.
Home to one of Australia’s most accessible and magnificent stands of lush rainforests and with a series of spectacular waterfalls and abundant bird life, this area is undergoing a vibrant transformation.
High on the plateau, a ‘tree change’ is sweeping through, bringing with it chic cafes, boutiques, galleries and food stores.
Dorrigo is one of the main townships of Bellingen Shire Council, with the magnificent natural beauty of the area maintained by the Dorrigo Maintenance Team.
Comprising 12 team members as well as Team Leader Neil Bardsley, the Maintenance Team prides itself on its commitment to overseeing parks and gardens in the area, keeping up to date with town maintenance, such as cleaning of public amenities and weed control, maintaining local rural roads, and overseeing the operation of the local water supply operation and sewerage treatment plant.
Working with other Council staff, Neil Bardsley said one of the more challenging roles is clearing Waterfall Way on Dorrigo Mountain following heavy rains.
“Dorrigo experiences heavy rainfalls throughout the year; in fact, this year, we have already received five times the amount of Melbourne’s annual rainfall,” he said.
“When we experience heavy downfalls, it is our role to go in when it is safe and clear roads, making it accessible for the public to travel through again. Due to the steep terrain, there tends to be a lot of debris left on the road from landslides, as well as trees and branches. We remove these obstacles, wash down the road and make it safe again.”
Having been affected by the most recent New South Wales floods, the team is currently in the process of cleanup and repairs so that Dorrigo can once again compete in the Tidy Town Awards program.
“We are removing trees, mowing roadsides and doing anything we can to get the town looking neat and tidy again,” Neil Bardsley said.
Dorrigo took out the overall New South Wales Tidy Town Award in 2008.
General Manager of Bellingen Shire, Mike Colreavy, nominated the team to appear in FOCUS for its huge contribution to Dorrigo receiving the award, and for its ongoing commitment to immaculate presentation of the town and its surrounds.
“The Dorrigo Maintenance Team is a model of what can be achieved when work teams pull together as one,” Mike Colreavy said. “They are enthusiastic, professional and very proud of the spectacular area that they maintain.
“Council and the Dorrigo community is rightly very proud of every one of them.”
Neil Bardsley believes the team works well together as they are a closeknit group, committed to motivating each other.
“Everyone pulls their weight, we help each other out with problems, and we gain great satisfaction, not only from the comments we receive, but from the difference we make and the results we achieve.
“I often receive compliments about the good work we are doing from community members, and we also receive a lot of positive feedback through our headquarters.
“The Tidy Towns Award was a whole of community effort, but it was a pleasure to be involved in it and it is a great accolade for our work.
“I am very proud to be part of the team and to be able to lead them is an honour.”
