They say a week in politics is a long time. This statement felt particularly true for me last week, as I navigated an unexpected and transformative experience in my role as mayor.
When I accepted this role, I did so with a genuine desire to serve our community. While I knew the role would come with a steep learning curve after serving my first year as a Councillor, at the time I believed I could serve the community as Mayor in a way that met their needs and allowed me to learn and grow in the role.
Following my election to the position of Mayor on November 25, I undertook the Mayor mandatory training in Melbourne. The sessions were both engaging and thought-provoking, providing valuable insights into the responsibilities and challenges associated with the mayoral role. The information presented during the training prompted me to reflect deeply on my own preparedness and understanding of the complexities involved in council governance.
As the training progressed, it became evident that I was not fully prepared for the mayoral responsibilities. While I recognised that chairing meetings and representing the council are important aspects of the role, I also became acutely aware that there is much more to effective governance than these visible duties. My discussions with several highly knowledgeable individuals during the training only reinforced this realisation. After a number of in-depth conversations, I was convinced that I did not yet possess the breadth of knowledge required to serve as mayor.
After further reflection, I made the decision to resign from the position of Mayor of Alpine Shire Council.
Our community deserves a leader fully equipped to meet any challenge that comes our way, and I believe stepping aside is the right decision to support a different Mayor to take on the role for the next year.
I remain committed to supporting our community as a Councillor, and thank everyone for their trust and understanding.
Cr Gareth Graham