DOUGLAS DECIDES 24' - Terry Melchert Councillor candidacy statement
BUILD-UP CONTINUES
For those of you who don’t already know me, I am Terry Melchert a Councillor candidate for the local Government elections.
My wife and I grew up in Townsville and I was educated at James Cook University gaining a Commerce Degree. We both worked in the office of the Mayor and chief executive officer at Townsville City Council for over 12 years.
For the last 31 years my family has been resident in Douglas Shire and our three sons were educated locally at St Augustine’s Primary School and Mossman High School and are now successful FIFO mine workers.
My wife has worked at the high school for many years and as a support staff member for event managers and providers in the Shire.
Two of our sons Timothy and Ryan have remained in the Shire and our daughter in law, Tilly Melchert is a teacher at Mossman Primary School and at Bodies in Motion Dance School. We have five grandchildren.
As a member of the Mossman Rotary Club for many years I have been involved in delivering many community projects and was awarded a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship.
When our children were at School my wife and I undertook various roles with the St Augustine’s P and F, and now history is repeating itself with Tim and Tilly playing an active role with the Mossman Primary School P and C.
I have worked in Local Government for over 40 years in various roles in accounting, audit and management and have seen the very best of service to the community by Douglas Shire Council, and some very challenging times as well.
My qualifications include being a certified practising accountant and a fellow of the local Government managers association of Australia.
Along with working in local Government, I worked for 8 years during the sugar cane crushing season, as a Process Control Chemist. A role which gave me a real insight into the operation of the Mill through both hands-on laboratory analysis work and the preparation of the weekly Mill production and efficiency reports. I have also worked with family and friends in assisting them in growing sugar cane.
My current local Government contract work, via our family company, is with a medium sized Council and involves inspecting playground equipment and developing a long-term asset management plan for the equipment. As part of this process, I provide project management services to a playground installer and that company has recently won the work to construct the new playground in Rex Smeal Park and the project is due to commence in the near future.
Several local residents encouraged me to stand for Council and this has been particularly driven by concerns about the many problems with the water supply and sewerage services during the heavy weather event which was a real problem for residents and the tourism industry, particularly in Port Douglas.
It is definitely a time for a positive and professional change in Council with a new team that will properly consult with the community on the services it wants and deliver them on time and in a cost effective and efficient manner.
The Shire simply cannot continue to have the delay and reduction in service provision, and the increasing Council costs it has endured for the past four to seven years. Especially with increasing cost of living pressures.
I look forward to the opportunity of working together with a new Mayor and Councillor team in delivering these services.
Based on representations I have already received I look forward to working with a new Council team in: -
- Restoring a reliable and resilient Water Supply and Sewerage system which, as it has done in the past, will provide reliable services through all types of weather events.
My experience and skill in these areas comes from me having been the leader of the team, almost 20 years ago which designed and commissioned the water treatment plants that served the community so well up until the most recent event.
- Introducing open and transparent Council processes with all pre-meeting staff briefing sessions to Council and Council meetings being open to the public and live streamed.
- Giving certainty to a continuing high level of funding from Council for tourism promotion.
Although it is a while ago, I had the privilege of working with tourism leaders Kerrie Jamison and others in developing a strategy which encouraged Council to increase funding for tourism promotion by over 100%.
- Developing a Council civil construction team involving both Council workers and local contractors to have a capacity which can quickly and effectively provide better road services and repairs especially after heavy weather events.
- Reviewing disaster planning and responses to identify the many things went well during the recent Cyclonic Event and activities which can be improved.
- Supporting the sugar Industry in continuing in the Shire, as far as is possible and if it is not possible, in supporting a farming transition into other agricultural production.
- Ensuring the early provision of a new ferry which can maximise service delivery based on the new and extensive technology which now exists for the streamlining of transport services.
- Ensuring the early construction of a Port Douglas water park – there is no reason for further delay.
- Supporting the Intent of the current planning scheme.
It is time for a positive and professional change and for actions by the new Council team to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for the Shire.
It is time to deliver on promised projects on time, on budget. Many promises have been made and not delivered.
I have the required background and skills in both the public and private sectors which will allow me to work together with a new Council team to ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget.
