By Jim Child
On Tuesday 8 November I was humbled and honoured to be re-elected as Mayor.
It’s been my honour and privilege to have led as Mayor throughout 2022 and to be re-elected for a second consecutive term for 2023 is particularly special.
It’s a challenging time we find ourselves in and while our collective patience has been tested many times this year, the people of our municipality have shown their incredible resilience each time in the face of every challenge.
As 2022 draws to a close, I can’t help but reflect on a year that has been full of surprises and challenges, but I do look forward with anticipation to 2023 and the many opportunities it brings for Council to deliver new and longstanding projects that strengthen our community.
Together in the coming year we’ll be delivering more than 120 services to our community, and we’ll be delivering them with a passion and nuance to keep costs down while still meeting the needs of our 150,000 residents, thousands of businesses and countless visitors to our region.
We’ll be doing all this while navigating the continued challenges of the pandemic and assisting and facilitating the storm and flood recovery
We’ve got an incredible variety of projects that will benefit the community over the coming year, and at the top of that list is the delivery and continued progress of our Rivers and Ridges Projects – including the Yarra Valley Trail, Ridgewalk and Warburton Mountain Bike Destination – which will be so important to delivering jobs, bringing tourism to our region, and providing first-class outdoor experiences for community members.
Of course, my role is to support our communities and I’ll be here to listen, to assist and to represent the wider municipality with my deputy Mayor, Cr Sophie Todorov.
As we enter the summer period, I hope the holiday season is a chance for all Yarra Ranges residents as well as the many visitors that are joining us in the seasonal festivities this year to catch up with family and friends and take a break after a challenging year, while also enjoying all our region has to offer.
