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Wednesday, November 20, 2013
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CELEBRATE! Mareeba State High students celebrate their graduation on November 14. Photo by Lauren Kinchela.
Tom’s big plans
By Ryan Groube
M
ayor-elect Tom Gilmore has moved quickly to temper community expectation about what the new Mareeba Shire Council (MSC) will be able to achieve in its first term. On November 13, the Electoral Commission of Queensland declared Mr Gilmore the winner of a closely fought mayoral race over de-amalgamation champion Mick Borzi. Joining Mr Gilmore on the reformed MSC are councillors-elect Alan Pedersen, Mary Graham, Nipper Brown, Jenny Jensen, Allan Holmes and Karen Ewin. Mr Gilmore began preliminary talks with Mareeba Shire transfer manager Rod Ferguson on Friday to ensure the new MSC has all the necessary information to begin governing
immediately. “I have a number of ideas to put to him in terms of material I would like to be placed before council immediately after they are sworn in, because I don’t want to be wasting time asking for those things after the event,” he said. “Quite frankly we’ve only got two years and we don’t have time to sit on our hands and contemplate. What we have to do is get things rolling which are above and beyond the work that is currently being done in house.” Mr Gilmore said the community needed to be aware that there was going to be an initial period of “austerity” before the new council found its feet. “I want the community to understand there is going to be a period of time over the next couple of years when the council will struggle in terms of its capacity to raise money and its capacity to pay,” he said. “[There will be] a period of austerity
- there is no question of that, we know that, even though we haven’t been given a full handle on the facts and figures.” Each of the councillors echoed Mr Gilmore’s view on the need for quick and decisive decision making and prudent financial management. Mr Pedersen said: “The first two years needs to be about ensuring the council is financial and able to maintain services. Once that has been achieved then we can begin to look at other things.” Business owner Mary Graham said it had become increasingly clear that people had become less willing to invest in Mareeba over the past couple of years. Nipper Brown said he would view the first term of the MSC as a success provided “we are fairly set on a financially viable road.” Incumbent Tablelands Regional Councillor
Jenny Jensen said that the first MSC had been entrusted with “making sure this works”. Cattleman Allan Holmes told The Express that it was vital to ensure staff felt secure and comfortable in their positions as soon as the MSC began operating. “The staff will be our most valuable asset and they need to be confident and secure in their employment and not afraid to give us the right advice,” he said. The final seat on council will be filled by Karen Ewin. Mr Gilmore said he was delighted with his team and said the all possessed the character and the intellect to “make the tough decisions”. Mr Borzi has formally written to the ECQ requesting a recount. Profiles of all the MSC councillors-elect can be found on pages 4 and 5.
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