By BRIDGET SCOTT
AS THE City of Casey celebrates its 20 year milestone since its inception, the already special occasion had an extra dose of meaning for one councillor.
On Monday 15 December, the City of Casey celebrated its 20th birthday. Part of the celebrations was councillor Wayne Smith who has been there since day one.
Cr Smith, who is currently a River Gum Ward councillor, has sat on all seven councils and was mayor of the first City of Casey council.
The only one to have been there since the beginning, Cr Smith said it was a great honour.
“I’ve been lucky I guess that the public think I am doing a good job,” he said.
“I am still as passionate now as what I was on day one.”
Cr Smith has spearheaded the growth of the arts within the City of Casey and played a huge part in the development of the new Casey Cultural Precinct.
He said he would like to be on the council long enough to see the opening of the new centre.
“It’s been my project and I would like to see it through,” he said.
The community minded man said he has seen huge growth in the area during his time, but this was “nothing unexpected”.
“I think we have managed that as well as we can,” he said.
“Funding has to come from state and federal government and I think we lobbied well.”
“We can never keep up but we do our best.”
Cr Smith said he first joined the council to advocate for the arts community.
“I was on there to represent the arts and I think I have done that well,” he said.
“In terms of arts, Casey is in a strong position.”
Cr Smith is also a member of Casey Radio and said his motto was to “serve the community and make it better”.
Current mayor and councillor Mick Morland was also on the inaugural Casey Council and has only missed one term since its inception.
He spoke in glowing terms of his fellow councillor Wayne Smith as well as chief executive officer Mike Tyler who has been part of the council for 35 years.
“The new arts precinct is all because of Wayne,” Cr Morland said.
“I don’t think there is a finer person in local government.
“He has total integrity and will always look at an item on the agenda and vote on it based on its merits, and its merits only.”
Cr Morland also served on two councils with the City of Berwick and said the council has always acted to be responsible and financial.
He said a few of the traditional customs have changed since he first started, and the only time you will ever see him pull out the robes is during a citizenship ceremony.
“In those days you had to wear your chains and robes for plenty of things,” he said.
Cr Morland said with the past 20 years behind them, it’s now time to focus on the next 20 with a mix of youth and experience of the current council.
See page 47 for more on the council and a celebratory dinner on Monday night.
