Inge Mitchell

Transparency, open council meetings and a promise to listen to people is what Inge Mitchell wants to deliver to East Ward residents.

Ms Mitchell, a former small business owner, is now retired and admits she was happy living in her “Yarragon bubble.”

Through the Yarragon and District Community Association, Ms Mitchell was involved in the fight to save the old Yarragon school site for community use and opposition to the proposed service centre development.

But, she said, frustrations with planning got to her.

“Planning is the basis of our economy. $8.5 million in council’s budget is allocated to planning and development yet it seems to be the major obstacle to people carrying out their plans and hopes.

“There are two sides to every story but unless I get on council I have no way of finding out what isn’t working on the inside.”

Ms Mitchell previously served 18 months on the former Narracan Shire before local government amalgamations in 1994.

She stood for council on a “no rate rise” ticket and “we basically achieved an overhaul of the organisation.”

Rates are again on Ms Mitchell’s priority list, saying there was a need to have the “rate debate.”

With annual property valuations plus a capped rate rise, residents and businesses were facing significant annual rate rises, she said.

“Maybe we need to have the rate debate and find out how much influence we can bear on the state government and say we can’t keep doing this to our residents and ratepayers.

Ms Mitchell said she believed strongly in looking at the facts and 39 per cent of the shire’s land was not rateable.

“Rates will never be enough to cover everything. But as we have increasing pressures we should stop spending on wants such as a new library and adding to the civic precinct development (in Warragul).

“I think there are priorities. I would like to see a multi-storey car park in Warragul and that is something that’s just been discarded.

“We want to stimulate the economy…what better way than the multistorey car park that creates jobs and then encourages people to some and spend money in town.

Ms Mitchell said she did not want to become known as a “pothole councillor” but roads were an important issue. She said there needed to be a progressive sealing program because ongoing gravel resheets were not the answer.

Ms Mitchell also supports the Take2Pledge initiative which she said was a part of council’s environmental policy but not widely promoted.

She said residents and businesses should be encouraged to take advantage of the program which provided funding assistance for environmental upgrades for a range of projects from water tanks to solar panels.

Ms Mitchell is involved with the Yarragon and District Community Association, Baw Baw Sustainability Network, Landcare and Yarragon CFA.