The Local Government Association (LGA) of South Australia has a new president. 

Kimba Mayor Dean Johnson has been appointed to the role of LGA President, commencing immediately.

The LGA Board of Directors held a Special Meeting this week where nominations for the presidency vacancy were received and voted on.

Cr Johnson said it is a great honour to fulfil the duties of LGA President for the remainder of the Board’s two-year term and that he looks forward to getting started.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be entrusted with the responsibility of representing South Australia’s 68 councils as President,” Cr Johnson said.

Cr Johnson also currently serves as chair of the LGA’s South Australian Regional Organisation of Councils committee and is president of the Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association.

LGA Chief Executive Officer Clinton Jury welcomed the appointment of Cr Johnson as LGA President.

“Dean has almost 20 years’ experience in local government, having led Kimba District Council as Mayor since 2014 and represented his community for many years as an elected member before that,” Mr Jury said.

“On behalf of the entire LGA Secretariat, I congratulate Mayor Johnson on his appointment as LGA President and greatly look forward to working together to represent our sector.”

Former Naracoorte Lucindale Mayor Erika Vickery was earlier appointed to the LGA presidency in October; however, as she was not re-elected during the November council elections the LGA constitution required the Board to install a replacement.

This needed to come from the remaining Board members who also sit on the LGA’s SAROC committee.

The LGA says it will explore with member councils any improvements that can be made to the constitution to prevent a similar recurrence from happening in the future.