By Laura Michell
Whittlesea councillor Mary Lalios will remain as president of the Municipal Association of Victoria, despite Whittlesea council failing to pay its membership fees for this year.
Earlier this month, the MAV board ruled that Cr Lalios could not continue to serve as president because Whittlesea council had not paid its membership fees by August 31.
The council decided in June to review whether it continues paying membership fees for the MAV and Victorian Local Governance Association, raising concerns the two organisations were duplicating services.
The board said a casual vacancy now existed in the office of president as a result of the council’s decision.
The MAV also questioned whether Cr Lalios was eligible to remain president after Whittlesea council replaced her as its MAV representative in November last year.
But MAV board member and Monash councillor, Geoff Lake challenged the MAV decision in the Supreme Court, with Justice Timothy Ginnane ruling yesterday that there was no casual vacancy.
In his judgement, Justice Ginnane found that the MAV’s rules prevented representatives of non-financial member councils from being president, but Cr Lalios was not Whittlesea’s representative when it decided to stop paying its fees.
Cr Lake said the decision was a “common sense” interpretation of the MAV’s rules and corrected the “injustice” which had been visited upon a popular and democratically-elected leader.
In an update to members, MAV chief executive Kerry Thompson said the decision meant Cr Lalios would continue as president for the remainder of her two-year term.
Cr Lalios was elected as president in March last year.
“Now that this matter has been resolved, we look forward to continuing the work of the MAV and ensuring all 79 councils are participating members,” Ms Thompson said.
Cr Lalios said the past month had been a “really tough time for the MAV board”, adding that it was an unprecedented situation.
“I’m now glad the short disruption is over and look forward to the MAV continuing to deliver a range of great initiatives for the benefits of councils and our communities,” she said.
Whittlesea council is expected to make a decision on whether to pay its MAV and VLGA fees at its meeting on October 2.
