Councillors reflect on the past four years and look to the future for the Macleay

The decision was made to provide certainty to communities and create continuity of leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time of the announcement, mayor Liz Campbell said the decision allowed councillors to focus on the situation at hand.

"In a time like this the community needs stability in leadership and postponing the elections until next year has done that," she said.

This means that current councillors will now serve an additional 12 months as representatives of the community.

At what would have been the last meeting for this term of council, mayor Campbell highlighted the work achieved to date.

"It's amazing to look at the projects that have been delivered which we set out to do four years ago," she said at the August council meeting.

As councillors prepare for the next 12 months, the Argus reached out to each of them for their thoughts on the past four years and what they're most looking forward to over the next year.

Mayor Liz Campbell

Cr Campbell was elected to council in September 2008 and said over the past four years councillors were able to work together to deliver a number of projects for the community.

"The rewarding experiences and projects have been many and varied. All have been rewarding, but different in their own way, even if it was a tough learning experience," she said.

Mayor Campbell said a highlight over the past four years for her was achieving 87 per cent of what council set out to do in the four-year Delivery Plan.

"If I were to choose just one thing to highlight the past four years, it would be the decision council took in 2017 to invest in an external review of organisation, and the subsequent redesign of council's culture and structure which has seen the successful continuous improvement model implemented by the new leadership team.

The postponement of elections meant council could focus on responding to the pandemic.

"The decision was decisive and made early, and that gave certainty and the opportunity for me to focus on the important things at hand - primarily the bushfire recovery effort and how we were going to deal with COVID-19," mayor Campbell said.

Looking ahead to the next 12 months, Cr Campbell said she is looking forward to building stronger community engagement.

"I am really looking forward to continuing to connect with the communities within our valley and taking a fresh look at our Community Strategic Plan. Seeing increased community engagement and understanding of what council is and does will be an important focus for this year," she said.

"A special event I am really looking forward to - which was initiated at council, supported by council but I represent in a personal capacity - is the opening at the beginning of 2021 of our country university centre - CUC Macleay Valley."

Councillor Mark Baxter

A long-term goal for Cr Baxter has been to tackle social issues within the community. Over the past four years, he said he is most proud of council working together to bring positive change in the community.

"The above average crime rate, drug abuse, depression and suicide rates were all affecting our community. Council responded to the constituent dismay by applying for government grants to lift the valley out of its economic malaise. Over $200 million of government grants have flowed into our economy in the last four years," he said.

Plans for solar panels at council pump stations and to adopt a sustainable development strategy to move the valley towards a neutral footprint for economic growth are also projects Cr Baxter is passionate about.

"This council should also be proud of the turnaround in council finances. This term of council inherited a seriously large and persistent budget deficit problem. It is a credit to the new council staff that these crippling deficits have been reigned in," he added.

Cr Baxter said the decision to postpone council elections was the right choice.

"Like the bushfire emergency, council has responded professionally and effectively to the pandemic. One of the great side effects of the pandemic was to have the whole community focused on one outcome, and that was that we should all be safe and healthy."

Over the next year, Cr Baxter is looking forward to the tarring of Maria River Rd project and supporting the Macleay's sustainable economic growth.

"I'm happy that we have another year to bring about change for the better. The pandemic has shattered our previous economic model, so a massive adjustment is coming," he said.

Councillor Leo Hauville

For Cr Hauville, the most rewarding part of being a councillor is representing the community.

"The most positive experience during this time was the many community members coming to me on issues that concern them. In every instance I did my best to help," he said.

"In this time, I have moved 45 Notices of Motion (48.9 per cent of all considered at 43 meetings) and placed 176 questions on notice (40.8 per cent) for response on behalf of community representations."

The decision to postpone elections caught Cr Hauville off guard.

"The surprise came as I understood clearly that I had been elected for a four-year term. The extension by one year raised the possible issue of my legitimacy as a councillor with many people contacting me about this decision," he said.

"Local democracy had been usurped by a State Government decision with its knee-jerk reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our world has changed because of COVID-19 and as a community we must adapt in many ways, including continuing to have a safe democratic process of local government elections.

"In contrast, the LGA elections in Queensland continued successfully on March 28. The Victorian Government response was to continue the timetable to have their elections in October, but to do so with Universal Postal Voting. The Northern Territory elections have just been completed safely," he added.

For the coming year, Cr Hauville is looking forward to contributing to public debate on issues concerning the community.

"Personally, I will continue to pursue the legal requirement of the councillor role of directing and supervising what council does for the betterment of the shire," he said.

Councillor Sue McGinn

A number of infrastructure projects across the shire over the past four years have been the most rewarding projects undertaken by council for Cr McGinn.

"I'm very tempted to point to the infrastructure projects that have been achieved such as the roads and bridges upgrades, cinema and foreshore upgrades at Stuarts Point and South West Rocks," she said.

"Council's proactive work with water supply management due to the recent drought demonstrated the high level of skill and innovation within our water management team and the recent response and recovery efforts to the bushfire emergency has been nothing less than outstanding."

Cr McGinn said council's cultural transformation has been the most positive change for council over the past four years.

"Our new leadership team has driven a massive organisational transformation and this shift to improved ways of working is having positive benefits for our staff and community," she said.

The decision to postpone the elections was also a revelation for Cr McGinn.

"At first I was a bit surprised that the elections were postponed as it all happened so quickly. I was glad to see that the majority of councillors could better focus on our job at hand which is to support our community during the COVID-19 pandemic and on the back of recent drought and bushfires," she said.

"The additional 12 months shouldn't make any difference to us as councillors. By that, I mean we should be continuing our roles as community leaders in a 'business as usual' mode."

Over the next 12 months Cr McGinn is looking forward to councillors working together to bring positive change.

"It's been rewarding to get involved in council and drive positive change. I enjoy being part of a team that's solution focused and getting things done."

Councillor Anthony Patterson

For Cr Patterson, who was elected to council in 2012, the construction of the Kempsey Cinema was the standout project for Kempsey Shire Council during this term.

"Being part of the team of councillors over the past four years and to achieve the construction of the Kempsey Cinema Complex for our valley was the most rewarding for me," he said.

Being a councillor for the past eight years, Cr Patterson said the last four-year term of council flew by.

"I was surprised at how quickly the election year came around. We continue on with our business as councillors as usual and will continue to do that for the next 12 months.

"Being part of the decision-making of our future is very rewarding for me."

Cr Patterson believes the postponement of elections was the right decision.

"I see the postponement of council elections as part of dealing with the current COVID-19 issues - as best our Government can," he said.

One project that Cr Patterson is looking forward to over the next year is the tarring of Point Plomer Rd.

"The tarring of Point Plomer Rd will be a great win for the whole community and visitors to the Macleay Valley," he said.

Councillor Dean Saul

One of the biggest projects councillors have discussed during this term of council has been the tarring of Point Plomer Rd. Cr Saul said finalising this project was most rewarding for him.

"Without doubt, the most rewarding item during this term on council is to finally have the issue of Point Plomer Rd resolved, that it is to be sealed," he said.

Cr Saul was elected to council in 2004 and said over the years he has heard many debates on the issue.

"Very soon the residents and visitors to the Macleay will be able to travel this roadway safer and in better comfort. An improvement to the community, and an annual cost saving to the ratepayers of $50,000."

The postponement of elections was taken in its stride by Cr Saul.

"Business as usual and continuing to represent and serve the community was my motto, after it was announced that the local government elections had been put back 12 months due to COVID-19," he said.

"The elections are scheduled for September 2021, and hopefully by then a vaccine is found to combat this epidemic."

Over the next 12 months, Cr Saul is looking forward to settling the future direction of the Kempsey Regional Saleyards and upgrade works to the Frederickton Boat Ramp Park

"I have lobbied hard for this park to have such an upgrade and it will be personally satisfying to see it through to completion," he said.

Councillor Anna Shields

Finishing the upgrade to Horseshoe Bay Reserve playground has been the most rewarding experience during this term of council for Cr Shields.

"It was a great example of council and the community working together. Thanks to the generosity of our community we managed to double the original budget provided by council. This was achieved through donations, fundraising, volunteering and successful grant applications written by community members," she said.

Being adaptable during these unprecedented times of COVID-19 was important for Cr Shields.

"It was a shock when the council elections were postponed, but during this time of COVID-19 we have to be adaptable. I wasn't going to stand again for council so it has unexpectedly added another year, but there is still so much to do," she said.

There are a number of projects in the works that Cr Shields is looking forward to, including progressing the Mid North Coast High Performance Centre, the start of the $10 million works on the Verge/Eden sporting precinct, further upgrades at Back Creek, a pathway linking Riverside Park to West Kempsey, detailed designs for road and parking upgrades at Horseshoe Bay Reserve and the rehabilitation of two sections of South West Rocks Rd.

Councillor Ashley Williams

Council's progress with a number of sporting projects has been the most rewarding experience for Cr Williams over the past four years.

"As an active member of sporting organisations, the development and rollout of the sporting strategy has been very rewarding to see these things come to fruition finally after sport had been neglected over the past decades here," he said.

"Another rewarding aspect is being part of the organisational restructure which was delivered by our current team of staff but initiated by councillors."

Cr Williams said the election's postponement was something he took in his stride.

"The postponement did come as a bit of a surprise but I think we all as a group have taken the decision in our stride and it's business as usual for us," he said.

Cr Williams is looking forward to getting behind the team at council and continuing to deliver projects for the community.

"There are so many good things happening in the community and we seem to focus on the negative and not the positives," he said.

"To know that we are actually making a difference for our children's future and our future, I'm looking forward to being a part of it."

Councillor Bruce Morris was also contacted by the Macleay Argus for this story.