"It is with regret that I advise the Maroondah community that Wonga Ward Councillor, Nora Lamont has resigned from her role as a Councillor of the City of Maroondah, effective 6 December 2021," said Mayor of Maroondah, Councillor Mike Symon.
"Nora was first elected as a Councillor in the former Mullum Ward in November 2008. She served a full four year term, and was re-elected in 2012 and again in 2016," said Cr Symon.
During this time Nora was elected Mayor in 2012, Maroondah's second female Mayor since amalgamation in 1996.
In 2016, Nora was elected the first Deputy Mayor for Maroondah, and the following year, she was once again elected Mayor for the 2017/18 term.
"Council elections were held in October 2020, with a change to the wards and member representation. Nora was once again elected, this time for the new Wonga Ward, an area that sat within the former Mullum Ward. In November 2020 she was elected Deputy Mayor for the first year of the new Council term," said Cr Symon.
Over the years Nora has represented Council on a range of committees and boards, including the Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Well-Being Committee, Maroondah Tourism and Heritage Advisory Board, Maroondah Disability Advisory Committee (where she was Chair for many years), Audit and Risk Advisory Committee, Maroondah Community Safety Committee, Maroondah Business Advisory Committee, Maroondah Community Wellbeing Committee, the Municipal Association of Victoria, Eastern Region Group of Councils and the Victorian Local Government Women's Charter.
More recently Nora has represented Council on the Maroondah Access, Inclusion and Equity Advisory Committee and the Maroondah Liveability, Safety and Amenity Committee.
"Nora was always there to offer support and assist her fellow Councillors and the community that she so ably represented. Her local knowledge and deep understanding of community issues and concerns in her own Ward, and across Maroondah helped in so many ways to shape and guide where we are today," said Cr Symon.
"It was my privilege to serve as a Councillor in the former Mullum Ward with Nora and to learn so much as Deputy Mayor during her 2nd term as Mayor in 2017/18 and I am sure that the policy and advocacy work that Nora did for Council will live on and continue to benefit our community for many years to come," said Cr Symon.
"My fellow Councillors and I thank Nora for her great contribution to Maroondah over the past 13 years, and offer her and her family, including her husband Ray, all the best for their future," said Cr Symon.
"The process to fill the vacancy in the Wonga Ward will be managed by the Victorian Electoral Commission via a by-election," said Cr Symon.
The Victorian Electoral Commission has been notified of the Extraordinary Vacancy of Maroondah City Council, and is yet to advice the timeframes for the by-election.
Following the by-election by the Victorian Electoral Commission, the elected candidate will take up the remainder of the Council term through to the next election in October 2024.
