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President elected

Tristan WheelerManjimup-Bridgetown Times
Boyup Brook Shire Council president Graham Aird has resigned.
Camera IconBoyup Brook Shire Council president Graham Aird has resigned. Credit: South Western Times

Boyup Brook Shire Council has a new president following its April 16 council meeting.

Outgoing president Graham Aird resigned and his deputy Richard Walker was elected as the new president.

Cr Walker said he was humbled and flattered to be chosen as president by his colleagues.

“I’ll be doing my best to meet their expectations,” he said.

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“It’s early days, but there is a lot to learn and a lot to do.”

Cr Walker paid tribute to his predecessor.

“Graham was very committed and threw himself right into it,” he said.

“He was very committed and enthusiastic as president.”

Council chief executive officer Chris Smith also paid tribute to Cr Aird.

“He was an incredibly energetic person and very passionate about the region and the shire,” he said.

“He put in a lot of time for a man who ran a business, there were whole days when he’d be in here attending meetings with me, or accompanying me to Perth to meetings, which is a huge impost.

“I’m in awe of the commitment and the time he put into the job.”

The council intends to replace Cr Aird after the COVID-19 crisis and will seek to have an election for the newly-vacant council seat when the crisis is over.

The council will continue with eight members until Cr Aird’s position is filled.

Cr Helen O’Connell was elected to the deputy president position in her first term as a councillor.

Cr Walker said his priority as shire president was to continue project development within the council’s means.

“There is lots of things in the pipeline and we just need to have good planning and good financial management and work within our means and achieve things,” he said.

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