By Jesse Graham
MONDAY, 31 October was a huge day for Billanook Ward councillor Tim Heenan, marking his official return to the council chambers after four years.
After being defeated by Maria McCarthy in 2012, 5179 votes to 3878, Cr Heenan clinched victory in this year’s election with a margin of 742 votes, with both he and Ms McCarthy receiving over 5000 votes after preferences.
Speaking to the Mail on Friday, 4 November, Cr Heenan said he was “now trying to pick up the pieces” and take stock of where the council had headed in the four years he was absent.
“Four years is a long time, and a lot changed,” he said.
“I’m trying to understand where my priorities need to lie, first, for the ratepayers.”
He said he and his fellow councillors, including returned Chirnside councillor Richard Higgins and new Chandler councillor Tony Stevenson, would be working with “gusto”, with two council meetings to run before the end of the year.
Though he said it was a hard campaign to return – particularly in reaching out to new areas affected by boundary redistribution – Cr Heenan said he was now able to “step out of the bubble” of being a councillor after his time out of council.
“One of the main things I would have done last time here is try to step out of the bubble and see it from the perspective of ratepayers, which I thought I was doing, but sometimes, you can take your foot off the ball and things are happening on the inside and you can get caught up in it all,” he said.
“The bureaucracy that exists in every level of government in Australia is stifling to some people – and it doesn’t need to be – we’re here for them.
“I’ve been elected to represent the ratepayers for four years – I am now public property for four years.”
Cr Heenan said his “first cab off the rank” would be advocating to finish the Yarra Ranges Regional Athletics Facility in Morrisons Reserve, Mount Evelyn – sealing the car park, addressing drainage and seeking funding for a larger pavilion.
“It might not be pretty, sealing a car park … but it’s part of the commitment that council made to the Yarra Ranges Athletics people all those years ago,” he said.
“I’m going to bloody keep the commitment we made to them, that’s first cab off the rank.”
He said he and the new councillors would be receiving advice about the redevelopment of council’s Anderson Street office, with the former council endorsing the first stages of the $28 million project.
The Mail reported in May that other options – such as a $22.5 million and $18 million redevelopment, or $6.5 million in works to get the building up to code – were on the table, but not endorsed by councillors.
Cr Heenan said he would not support the $28 million option, and would try to oppose the “gold-plated option”.
“I believe there’s still an opportunity,” he said.
“I know that we will be brought up to speed on all the details of the build – I believe that something’s coming back to councillors before the end of the year.”
Having served two years as mayor and a year as deputy mayor in his previous seven-year council stint, Cr Heenan said he would not run for mayor this year.
One thing he made very clear, though, was that it was good to be back.
“It’s an honour, again,” he said.
“I’m so grateful that the people have given me another chance to represent them, and I’m going to make sure that I remember that every day I’m in the job.”
