Naracoorte Lucindale Mayor Erika Vickery may be promoted to the position of LGA president following nomination by Grant District Council.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for nominations for the position of LGA president to commence from the conclusion of the 2022 Annual General Meeting.
The successful candidate will commence in the position from the conclusion of the 2022 LGA annual general meeting and remain in office for two years.
The LGA Constitution specifies the office of President must be occupied on a rotational basis between a council member from a council in the South Australian Regional Organisation of Councils (SAROC) and a council member from a council in the Greater Adelaide Regional Organisation of Councils (GAROC).
For this election, nominations are for council members within SAROC.
Currently Mayor Vickery is chairman of SAROC, as well as president of the Limestone Coast LGA.
To be eligible for nomination, a person must be a council member and be a current member of the SAROC Committee and have been in that role for at least one year.
An eligible candidate needs to be nominated by a member council but does not need to be nominated by their own council.
Grant District councillor Megan Dukalskis nominated Mayor Vickery and this received the full support at council’s recent ordinary meeting.
Mayor Vickery has been an elected member in local government for 18 years and elected as Mayor of the Naracoorte and Lucindale Council in 2010.
She has experience in holding executive positions and is a member of many community organisations in Naracoorte.
Mayor Vickery is also Country Zone vice-president and board member of LGA SA, RDA Limestone Coast, Australian Migrant Resource Centre and Country Arts SA.
Born in Austria, she immigrated with her family and settled in Naracoorte.
An active community member, she received the Australia Day Citizenship Award in 1991 and Order of the Medal of Australia in 2017.
With a strong interest in all art-forms, in particular music, she is a member of the Naracoorte Singers, the South East Primary Schools Music Festival, a Patron of the Limestone Coast Symphony Orchestra and former member of the Limestone Coast Opera.
She is also a member of the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery.
Nominations have also been called for members of South Australian Regional Organisation of Councils (SAROC) and GAROC.
LGA SA chief executive Clinton Jury said this year there was no ideal time to hold elections for office bearers for the LGA.
“When the end of term coincides with the general council elections, the general view is that it is preferable for a new board and president to take office at the AGM and as soon as possible around a general council election,” Mr Jury said.
He said this was to ensure the board and president can maximise their contribution during the two-year term.
“Rather than be put in a holding pattern until a new board is elected following council elections,” Mr Jury said.
“It is acknowledged the timing of the AGM, the election of LGA board and president, and the four-yearly cycle of local government general elections, there is the potential for the president and board member to not be re-elected in their respective council.
“It is also noted that if the election of LGA office holders was held, say three to six months after the local government elections to coincide with the LGA’s Ordinary General Meeting there is still the possibility that a current member of the board may not be re-elected at the November local government elections, resulting in a casual vacancy to be filled before the OGM.”
LGA nominations close on August 19 with the new president announced in October.
