APRIL was a time of change.
As expected, former Shire President Bill Manning resigned last month before departing for cooler climes.
He left our council in a sounder position for his wise and capable stewardship during a period of considerable challenge.
Toodyay can now welcome Ms Suzanne (Suzie) Haslehurst to the position of Shire CEO following the departure of current CEO Stan Scott when he leaves this month for new adventures.
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Suzie brings with her impressive experience in local government, the arts and governance in not-for-profit organisations.
In the interim, our shire’s administration has been in the very capable hands of our Manager of Corporate Services and Acting CEO, Mrs Chileya Luangala, who has had the unenviable task of managing the Covid-19 crisis along with a budget review.
Your council has undertaken a great deal in the past six months, and I appreciate the willingness of our elected members to work together to embrace the challenges and undertake the changes we have made.
There is no doubt our community has been through a long period of unrest, with each preceding council doing its best to respond to the pressures that arose.
As painful as unrest has been, we need to view those times as the catalyst for change because our community is clearly communicating that it requires more from us.
As a council we have listened and responded.
The Shire is now emerging in a far better position than six months ago – but there is still more to do.
Progress is an unrelenting mistress that requires us to continually rise to each occasion.
We need to continue to address the Shire’s current and long-term financial security and internal practices, and we need to be more astute, effective and responsive.
Importantly, we need to understand our community’s limitations, and listen and respond to build a more secure future for all.
Change is difficult, confronting and intimidating.
As former US President John F. Kennedy said in 1963: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future”.
