Stalwart councillor to retire after term
THE Toowoomba Regional Council has lost one of its most experienced and respected voices, with another councillor announcing his retirement.
Local government veteran of nearly 24 years Cr Joe Ramia revealed he would not seek another term on the council at the upcoming election, drawing a close to a decorated career.
The former Toowoomba City Council member is the fourth councillor to retire, joining Crs Anne Glasheen, Chris Tait and Mike Williams.
Cr Ramia said it had been an honour to serve the community.
“That’s always been my goal, that if someone came to me with a problem, I’d try to fix it,” he said.
“I’ve been humbled and honoured to be re-elected that many times, and it’s a great honour to be able to represent my community.”
Cr Ramia, whose family came from Lebanon to Toowoomba when he was very young, also reflected on how his humble upbringing created a work ethic that he said had served him well.
“Mum and Dad came from Lebanon, we lived in James St with a lot of other Lebanese people,” he said.
“When Dad died when I was five from cancer, Mum was a war widow and had no money, and I mean no money.
“We worked, grew vegetables and sold them, would go and mow lawns on the weekend, try and get a couple of bob to survive.”
Cr Ramia said he was thrilled to witness Toowoomba’s evolution from a small country town into a thriving city, hoping the new council could carry on that transition.
Mayor Paul Antonio thanked his long-time colleague for his support inside and outside the council chambers.
“The support you gave me was genuine, and I appreciate every bit of it,” he said during the meeting.
“What you’ve done tells a lot about your love for this community.”