Voters in the Toowoomba Regional Council area have a plethora of candidates to consider before they cast their vote at the polls on Saturday, March 28.
There are three mayoral nominations including Douglas Doelle, and Christopher Meibusch, while sitting Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio is again seeking re-election.
Four existing councillors who are not seeking re-election include Councillors Mike Williams, Chris Tait, Anne Glasheen, and Joe Ramia.
Six of the existing councillors who are seeking re-election include Carol Taylor, Nancy Sommerfield, Geoffrey McDonald, James O'Shea, and Megan O' Hara, and Cr Bill Cahill.
Cr Antonio has been mayor of the region since 2012 and brings more than 30 years of local government experience to the role.
He was previously the Deputy Mayor of the Toowoomba Regional Council in its first amalgamated term, and prior to that Mayor of Millmerran Shire Council for eight years, having served continuously on council from 1982-2008.
Cr Antonio said if re-elected he is hoping to continue the amazing infrastructure growth and vibrancy there is in this local economy.
"My role in the next term is to bring the new faces to council and mentor them so they can to take this region forward in the future," he said.
Cr Carol Taylor and current deputy mayor will offer herself for a fourth term on council.
She is currently chair of the Infrastructure Committee and chair of the Eastern Downs Regional Road Group, a position she has held since 2004.
Cr Taylor has been a councillor since 2000, serving as Mayor of the former Cambooya Shire Council from 2004-2008.
Cr Nancy Sommerfield seeking re-election for her third term and currently she passionately chairs the Water and Waste portfolio.
Cr Sommerfield also chairs the Local Government Association of Qld (LGAQ) Waste & Environmental Health Advisory Committee; is a member of the New Acland Community Reference Group and Arrow Energy Community Reference Group.
Cr Sommerfield is seeking re-election to carry on the work that has been done by council over the past eight years.
"These include continuing to achieve great environmental outcomes for waste in our region," Cr Sommerfield said
"Once the.new council is in place I would like to be able to deliver services to our fastest growing areas of Wyreema and Westbrook.
"It's risky to single out communities but in my mind it's time to ensure the ratio of repairs and maintenance versus shiny new objects targets are met to ensure our ageing infrastructure is maintained."
Of the four council vacancies there 32 nominations of which 26 are newcomers hoping to fill these seats.
Leading the field of newcomers hoping to be elected is former Labor politician Kerry Shine who first ran for election in the seat of Toowoomba North in 1998, and claimed the seat in a landslide victory in 2001.
The 2009 state election saw Mr Shine retain the seat of Toowoomba North with a reduced margin against Liberal National challenger Trevor Watts. He subsequently returned to the backbench, out of a desire to spend more time in the electorate and retired from politics in 2012 after Trevor Watts claimed the seat.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
