Council
14 March, 2024
Mayor will stand for 17th year on council
Yarriambiack Mayor Kylie Zanker says she will stand again at the October local elections - but she has not yet decided if she will take a tilt at a sixth year in the top job.
Yarriambiack Mayor Kylie Zanker says she will stand again at the October local elections - but she has not yet decided if she will take a tilt at a sixth year in the top job.
Cr Zanker has been a councillor for the Warracknabeal ward since 2008 and confirmed to the Herald she will put herself up for re-election this year.
She said up until now she had told only close family and friends of her decision to nominate for a 17th consecutive year.
Cr Zanker was mayor in 2011 and 2012, and has been mayor for the past three terms, but would not yet commit to a fourth, if re-elected.
"I will decide closer to the time," she said.
Cr Zanker said she most enjoyed working with the community: "I love the community consultation meetings," she said.
Every job had its highs and lows, she said, but the positives outweighed the negatives.
"It's frustrating when things take a long time."
With boundary changes affecting most local councils in Victoria this year, Yarriambiack Shire will retain its three wards, but Warracknabeal ward will lose one of its three councillors.
"We'll have two councillors in Warrack so we just have to look who is going where," Cr Zanker said.
She said councillors may attend events outside their own ward if no one else was available to attend - something that was not uncommon - and that they worked together for the whole community, not just for the ward they represented.
"It's about having representation in the community," Cr Zanker said.
"We all pitch in and work well."
Yarriambiack shire will hold information sessions in each ward in the coming months for anyone thinking of standing for council.
"Open communication is key and actually wanting to make a difference in the community," Cr Zanker said.
"You need to have some confidence to do the job."
She said there also would be online as well as face-to-face training for newly elected councillors.
"No one is great on their first day," Cr Zanker said. "The learning never stops - you're always learning something.
"The more you learn, the more you can give back to the community."
Ms Zanker encouraged anyone interesrted in nominating for council to go along to the information sessions.
"There's never a silly question," Cr Zanker said.
"A lot of people in the community have the skills but they don't believe they can do the job. They just need to come in with an open mind.
"I always say ordinary people can do extraordinary things in the community."
For more information on standing for council, visit www.vec.vic.gov.au/candidates-and-parties/becoming-a-local-council-candidate