From Port Focus to Port Places

Graham St, Port Melbourne

Dear people who come across Port Focus
It's one year since I finished up on Port Phillip Council.  Its taken a while to find a new place for my  interest in Port Melbourne and blogging. Port Places brings Port Focus and Port Houses blogs together into one site. Port Places is still centred on Port Melbourne but now includes forays into Montague, Westgate Park, Docklands and the lower Yarra.
Hope you will visit Port Places.
Janet Bolitho
27 October 2013
facebook.com/PortPlaces
@PortPlaces
janet.bolitho@gmail.com

Dear Port Focus readers
Its time to say goodbye. This is my last post to Port Focus in this form. I hope to resume it in some way in 2013.
I started Port Focus before the 2008 election because I wanted to have a presence on line. I also wanted to give Port Melbourne people more local news than the local papers offered and to portray a positive picture of Port Melbourne. A Port focus no less!
I thought that if I only posted Council news, noone would read it - so I have tried to make it more interesting with other snippets.
Some readers have joined along the way, and I have strengthened friendships on line with people I didn't know as well before.
I've enjoyed Port Focus and hope you have too. It provides a detailed record of Port Melbourne between 2008 and 2012.
I'm going away for a month or so but will be back.
Thank you for your interest and encouragement.
Janet
ps if you would like to access any of the photos, they are on Picassa - you'll find that on google

Election Day for the Sandridge Ward in Port Phillip tomorrow

If you haven't voted already, here are the options:

• Today Friday 26 October at  Port Melbourne Town Hall from 9 to 6 pm
• Saturday 27 October from 8 to 6 pm

at Port Phillip Specialist School, cnr Nott and Pool St, or Fishermens Bend Community Centre, Dunstan Parade cnr Centre Avenue

To check interim and final results, keep an eye on the Victorian Electoral Commission website https://www.vec.vic.gov.au

The mayor

There is some speculation about who will be mayor of the Port Phillip Council following the election on Saturday 27.
Lets hope it's not as dramatic as what occurred in Sandridge in 1862 when Councillor Pickles was kidnapped to prevent him participating in the vote for chairman. In his absence he was elected chairman by the casting vote of Councillor Morley as there were three votes each for Dr Plummer and Councillor Pickles.
Pickles was down at Railway Pier when he was told a tall story by two watermen who induced him to get into a boat on a dodgy pretext. When out to sea they told him that there was a plan afoot to make him chairman. "He remonstrated with them, and actually got out his knife when the second man told him to put it up, or it would be worse for him. Both of them told him they were to get 10 pounds for keeping him out of the way till nine o'clock that night, and if he got on shore before they would not get the money."  More of this intriguing tale and Pickles account is in the Argus on Saturday 9 August 1862.

with outgoing Mayor Rachel Powning at the final council meeting
an outstanding leader of Port Phillip in 2011 and 2012
picture Simon Kosmer

 The mayor provides a critical leadership role on Council. The only statutory role outlined in the Local Government Act is that the mayor must preside at Council meetings. In practice, the role is so much more. The mayor not only represents the Council in the community and is the spokesperson for the Council, but also needs to be skilful in facilitating the councillor group to work together towards Council's collectively agreed plan.