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Bushfires, powerlines, financial crisis and development – it sounds something out of a Hollywood block-buster, but was all in a day’s work for busy mayor Bill Pearson in 2009.
But don’t bother asking the man why he has been accepted so well by the Cardinia community – for him it’s all about the team effort.
“I came into the position (as mayor) a little reluctantly,” Cr Pearson said.
“But from the start I said that it was about ‘we’ and not ‘I’ and I think that’s the real reason we have done so well this year.”
Cr Pearson said the council faced a challenging year in 2009.
“The global financial crisis caused enormous problems for us,” he said.
“No one knew what we could afford to do.”
While financial issues plagued the council, Cr Pearson said they came nowhere close to the Black Saturday bushfires.
“I think the fires doubled the workload for me as mayor and my fellow councillors,” he said.
“Not to mention the work of police, CFA, SES and other council staff.”
As he looked back on the fires that swept the state, Cr Pearson said the saddest part of the disaster was that CFA and other emergency services crews had not had a break from fighting the fires, cleaning up and then planning for the upcoming fire season.
“They’ve gone from fighting to planning without a break, or a chance to sit back and take it all in,” he said.
But from a personal perspective Cr Pearson said seeing the fires burn in the Bunyip State Forest from his Tonimbuk property would stay in his mind forever.
“The terror the fire creates … I was one of the many who decided to stay and fight, but given the opportunity again I wouldn’t do that,” he said. “I’d be gone. My life and that of my family are far too important.”
He said the fires were a very important time for him, as mayor, to step up in his position in the community.
“People look to the position of mayor to represent them in times of need,” he said.
“It wasn’t about me as an individual, but in the position, and I tried to do that.”
Looking back on the year that was, Cr Pearson said he took pride in the many good things that came out of the council.
He said winning the fight against the State Government to put desalination plant powerlines underground would have to be one of the greatest things the council did in 2009.
“The fact that the boffins in Spring Street didn’t even survey the route, that they were going to take prime agricultural land, it was devastating,” he said. “But to win that, we spent half a million dollars on it, and protect the area for future generations, it was fantastic and we have already been vindicated.”
Cr Pearson said the Thankyou Firies day in Pakenham after the bushfires was an overwhelming success.
“It was important for us as a council to say thankyou to all of the emergency services for their hard work over the fire season,” he said. “I still have members of the CFA coming up to me and saying thanks for organising something – it gave everyone a chance to include their families, friends and colleagues.”
Another bow in his hat was the completion of the first new building built in the Bunyip Ward for 21 years, the Bunyip Auditorium.
“It’s a beautiful building and I’m quite proud that we were able to build it during my term as mayor,” he said. “Bunyip has been one of the neglected areas in the past.”
While he has enjoyed his term as mayor, Cr Pearson said he could not see him self taking on the position again.
“I’ve given it all I’ve got,” he said.
“My family didn’t see me very often and you are not left with much time to yourself.”
He said the challenges the Cardinia Shire Council faced in the future were far and wide.
“There needs to be a balance between developed and rural areas, creating sustainable environments, water security, creating jobs out this side of town, the need for more schools and securing government funding for the area,” he said.
“We’ll need to work hard to see our way through it all.”
Finally a few parting words.
“Thankyou to all the people of Cardinia who have given me unwavering support in the past year,” he said.
“I put all I had into it and I tried to do all that was expected of me and more.”