“Putting the community of Armidale Dumaresq first!” is the slogan of the team standing for election as a group of five for Armidale Dumaresq Council on September 8, 2012. The group consists of a mixture of experience and youth, with its members having between them a wealth of service in and for the community.
First on the ticket is sitting Councillor Herman Beyersdorf, who has been a Councillor for twenty-one years. Joining the ticket in second position is Elva Taylor. Elva is a respected Aboriginal Elder, who has, over many years, been engaged in numerous community activities, serving both the Aboriginal and general communities. In third position is Warren Roberts, who was born in Armidale and attended The Armidale School. He has been involved in volunteering with the Pat Dixon Medical Centre in Taylor Street for a number of years. Warren knows the importance of proactive leadership for the betterment of young people. Josephine Hillard is in fourth spot. Josephine was born in Armidale and spent her formative years in Gunnedah. Josephine is committed to serving the best interests of the community and is passionate about issues facing rural and regional NSW at all levels of Government, but especially at the ground roots level of Local Government.
Taking the fifth spot on the ticket is Tony Ramsay. Tony is passionate about community issues, environmental sustainability and social justice. He is the current President of the Armidale Branch of the Australian Labor Party, serving eight out of the last ten years in that position.
Both individually and as a group, the five members want to see the Community come first in Armidale Dumaresq. This means supporting and furthering economic development, building, especially on established educational and high-tech areas, as well as tourism, while remaining passionate about the real needs of the community.
Issues to deal with include:
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT:
Herman and his team believe that the opening up and servicing of Council’s industrial land at the airport will be a major factor in driving industrial growth in Armidale. Council should vigorously pursue a feasibility study for a natural gas branch pipeline.
WASTE
MANAGEMENT:
Herman and his team support a further expansion of recycling, particularly in the commercial and industrial areas. Herman and his team will also be proposing the introduction of a free once- or twice-yearly kerbside pick-up of domestic excess waste, including green waste and bulky items.
CIVIC PRECINCT:
Herman is currently one of the Council representatives on the Civic Precinct Committee, which is actively working for the building of a new library for the citizens of Armidale Dumaresq.
