Text Box: My Background I was raised in Bauple where my family have lived since the 1880’s. After I completed my education I served 21 years in the Australian Army including 1 on active service. After retirement from the armed forces, I was a sales manager for 5 years. I have owned my own business in Bauple for the last 3 years however I sold it in January. In 2004 I was elected to the Tiaro Shire Council. My major achievement as a Councillor has been the 5year Road Improvement Program which we have been able to largely complete in 3 years. This program has delivered a material improvement in standard of living to a large number of the shires residents. My Pledge as A Councillor   As one of your representatives on the Council I will strive to be firm, fair, honest and approachable. Firm. Once I have promised that I will take an issue up with Council, for you, then I will pursue it until we achieve a fair conclusion. As those who have worked with me can testify, once I take up a cause I will not relent until I have tried every available means to reach a successful conclusion. Upsets some people sometimes but that is the way I am.   Fair. I will work to ensure that everyone receives fair consideration by Council. Whether you are a resident, a social group or a large developer you must receive the same voice in Council. I will work to ensure that each area receives its fair share of Council services. And they receive the types of services that they want. I will work to ensure that we have  fair rates and charges. Which take into consideration the services we receive and the distance we have to travel to access them.  I will work to ensure we have fair development. Not development at all costs, but development that strikes the balance between our need to grow and the right of residents to have the community they desire. Honest. I will not tell you stories. If you approach me with a problem and I know that there is nothing I can do to help you, for whatever reason, be it outside Councils sphere, against legislation or I just know I can’t get it through the Council, whatever the reason, if I can’t help you then I will tell you. I will not lead you up the garden path by saying ‘I will look into it’ or ‘bring it up’. That is dishonest. By the same token, if I say that I will do something for you then you can rest assured that I will be taking up your cause. We all make mistakes sometimes. The more things we try to accomplish the more likely we are to sometimes make an error. I have learnt that when we do make a mistake it is best to own up to it, learn from the mistake and then fix the problem. Does not always get you the best press coverage but it does work to build trust and the trust relationship between you and your Councillor is more important. Approachable. I pledge to work to give every resident fair representation. No matter where you live or what your problem, I will be there to work for you. You can call me at any time if you have a problem and I will work with you to solve it. No problem is too small or too insignificant for the attention of your Councillor. If you have a problem and it concerns Council then it must be fixed and it will be my role to facilitate that fixing. I reiterate, as one of your representatives on the Council I will be firm, fair, honest and approachable.

About Jim MacKellar