Council chooses new Shire President and Deputy

Perenjori Shire Councillors elected a new Shire President and Deputy at a Special Council Meeting on Tuesday evening. Chris King is the Shire President and Jude Sutherland is Deputy Shire President. Cr Sutherland is a Landcare coordinator and the only woman to be elected to the new council. Cr King is a Perenjori farmer and former Shire President, although he was not a member of the Council dismissed by Local Government minister David Templeman for misconduct last year. Another former Shire president, Brian Baxter, also stood for the top job. One councillor who asked not to be named said the result was “very close”. Council now includes Daniel Bradford, Chris King, Jude Sutherland and Brian Baxter who were all elected to three year terms on Saturday, October 17. Councillors Colin Bryant, Leslie Hepworth and Phillip Logue were also elected but will have to stand again in next year’s Local Government Elections to keep their seats. In his last act as Commissioner for the Shire, Paul Omodei swore the new councillors in on Tuesday evening before conducting the election and immediately handing the meeting over to the new Shire President. He has been acting in place of the Council since June 2019, during which time he appointed a new chief executive and deputy, reduced the number of councillors to seven, and abolished the wards system. More details of the election are available in this week’s Midwest Times.