Gannawarra Annual Report 2011 - Gannawarra Shire Council

12
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S MESSAGE
The events of the past year
highlight the versatility of our
Council in being able to mobilise
resources and to execute our
emergency management plans to
meet unimagined disaster
scenarios with success.
Gannawarra Shire began the financial
year in drought. Council was also well
prepared for what was forewarned as
an unprecedented locust plague,
working in partnership with the
Department of Primary Industries as
the lead agency.
This was followed by the floods events
of 2010/2011. Council responded in
the preparation, response and
recovery phases and worked well with
and for the community at all levels.
The Shire Council Chambers in the
Kerang office were the location for the
Municipal Emergency Coordination
Centre and many of our staff were
involved in key roles at the centre with
the various emergency agencies, as
well as in lead and support roles across
the Shire throughout the event. When
Kerang was evacuated the Council
office was closed and it continued to
operate from our Cohuna Office
building. This represented a logistical
challenge but Council was able to
continue operating most services then
and on return to Kerang a week later,
following the re-opening of the
Loddon Valley Highway.
In the emergency stages Council
supported the evacuation of more
than 1,000 people from Kerang to a
temporary meeting point in Barham,
thanks to the cooperation of Wakool
Shire Council, cluBarham, the people