The Mayor and Councillors were sworn in at a ceremony this morning at Council’s Chambers.
Current Councillors Kevin Davies, Mary Graham and Lenore Wyatt are joined by Amy Braes, Edward (Nipper) Brown and Ross Cardillo.
Mayor Angela Toppin said it has been a privilege to have led a very stable and focussed Council over the past four years and she looks forward to the next term as Mayor of Mareeba Shire Council. “I look forward to working with the elected council and the community to deliver positive outcomes for the Shire during my second term as Mayor,” she said.
“I am fiercely passionate about this Shire and equally passionate about the people and the possibilities in this Shire. The new term will present its own challenges with historical rainfalls and flooding, ageing infrastructure and limited state and federal funding to local governments.”
“I encourage people who don’t understand the function of local government to reach out; all Council decisions are available to the public, and it’s the role of all our Councillors to represent the views, opinions and needs of our residents across the whole Shire in making decisions and advocating for change.”
Mayor Toppin said transport, water, infrastructure and parks and open spaces would continue to be at the forefront of the new council, while remaining financially stable.
“The roads and distances between our communities are far and wide and it is our job to maintain critical access and services in all parts of our Shire. Our Council will continue to represent every one of our communities.”
“A significant and continuous investment in water infrastructure is needed over the next decade to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for residents and business across the Mareeba Shire. Focussing on the critical infrastructure is what a good and responsible Council must do and I am proud that our Council is making this happen.”
“As a council we will continue to improve the liveability for residents, provide further investment opportunities and support local businesses wherever possible to ensure the economic sustainability of the Shire.”
“We will continue to advocate for funding from both levels of Government to support infrastructure and services and we will continue to advocate to the State Government in relation to youth crime.”
“Let’s work together to make our Shire stronger, better and future proof,” Mayor Toppin concluded.