HOWLONG teenager Maisie Donlen could become one of the region’s youngest councillors if elected to Federation Council.
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The 19-year-old has joined a 10-member ticket headed by former Urana Shire mayor Pat Bourke which includes candidates from all corners of the merged local government area.
Eric Kerr was elected to Wodonga Council as an 18-year-old in 2012.
Ms Donlen holds down three part-time jobs including the Howlong Bakery where she was first approached to stand for council, but wants to become a paramedic.
“It will definitely be a learning experience,” she said.
“I’ve always been interested in the community and keen to help out where I could.
“I am excited and looking forward to it.”
The ticket has three former Urana Shire councillors, Mr Bourke, John Doyle and Ian Kreutzberger, in the first three places followed by Ms Donlen and former Corowa Shire councillor Joan Palmer.
The remaining ticket members are Andrew Dore, Gabrielle Taylor, Leanne Murphy, Matt Collins and Janice Watson.
Mr Bourke said he first became aware of Ms Donlen’s interest in standing three weeks ago.
“She is the type of person you would love to see on council,” he said.
“She is smart, bright and ticks all the boxes.
“She has got a heap of jobs going at the moment, but she is going to go back to study.”
The ticket has recruited people from Urana, Rand, Oaklands, Corowa and Howlong in a deliberate strategy, according to Mr Bourke.
“We didn’t want to be just about the northern end of the shire,” he said.
“Obviously we had to find people who were community minded and happy to be involved.
“But we wanted to be different to the other tickets.
“We are small in numbers, but the new shire is going to be about the whole of shire area.
“We’ve been to all the community meetings and found out what their needs, wants and desires are and thought it was a better approach to a new council.”
BALLOT DRAW
GROUP A
(Above The Line)
Shaun Whitechurch
Norm Wales
Stuart Whisson
Paul Phibbs
James Webb
GROUP B
(Above The Line)
Andrew Kennedy
Chris Kennedy
Lisa Starr
Adam Thomson
Winston Rhodes
GROUP C
(Above The Line)
Bronwyn Thomas
Stuart Seeliger
Elizabeth Seeliger
Alan Bridges
Robert Purtle
GROUP D
(Above The Line)
Pat Bourke
John Doyle
Ian Kruetzberger
Maisie Donlen
Joan Palmer
Andrew Dore
Gabrielle Taylor
Leanne Murphy
Matt Collins
Janice Watson
GROUP E
(Above The Line)
Mark Shields
Malcolm Goldsmith
Peter Opitz
Lisa Smowton
Louise Shields
GROUP F
Fred Longmire
Francesco Bruinsma
UNGROUPED
Daryl Davey
Paul Miegel
David Longley
Gavin King
Graham Withers
Gail Law
Gary Poidevin
Mick Robson
Neil Gorham
David Horton
‘