Tablelands Regional Council | A fresh start for

Nikki Taylor

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

© The Cairns Post

The new-look Tablelands Regional Council was officially sworn in at a ceremony at Atherton yesterday.

 Peter Hodge, Gaye Taylor, Shaaron Linwood, Jenny Jensen, Rosa Lee-Long, Evan McGrath, Rod Marti and Geoff Stocker. Picture: Darryl Day

Led by fresh-faced mayor Rosa Lee Long, the seven councillors each performed a Declaration of Office in accordance with the 2009 Local Government Act.

Within the seven divisions there are three returning councillors including Division 2’s Shaaron Linwood, Jenny Jensen for Division 8 and Evan McGrath in Division 7. The three will be joined by Geoff Stocker in Division 3, Gaye Taylor in Division 1, Division 4’s Rod Marti and Peter Hodge in Division 5.

Cr Stocker beat Rhonda Sorensen by 64 votes to take his seat. He said his first priority was to get to know council staff and identify the issues affecting his area.

"We need to look at the economic development of the region via other industries and job creation," he said.

Cr Lee Long told the Tablelander her primary focus was on the next budget.

"It’s time to let the dust settle and learn processes," she said. "In terms of the budget I am happy to keep rate rises down to a minimum and give people a bit of a breather. Over the next year we will look at cutting the fat and identify cost-saving areas."

Cr Marti said he was both "daunted and excited" by his new role.

"I’m under no illusion this will be an easy job," he said. "The priority for me is to try and respond to the issues in my division and identify areas for future economic development on the Tableland."

The TRC will hold their statutory meeting at the Atherton board room this Thursday.

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