SHIRE of Murray councillor Chris Thompson has reached 30 years continuous service on council.
Elected in May 1986, Cr Thompson has served for one of the longest stretches of service to local government in WA.
When she was elected, the Shire had a population of only 6634, there was no Murray River Country Estate or Ravenswood Waters and the South Yunderup canal development was significantly smaller.
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READ NOWShire president Maree Reid said Cr Thompson had seen Murray grow from a small rural shire to a flourishing peri-urban district that now had a population of 18,000, quality facilities such as Murray Leisure Centre, Sir Ross McLarty Sporting Precinct, Murray Regional Equestrian Centre and a retail centre in Pinjarra.
“Her commitment to the people of our Shire has been nothing short of outstanding,’’ she said.
In particular, Cr Thompson has been a leader in bushfire and emergency management having chaired the Local Emergency Management Committee for more than 16 years.
Shire chief executive Dean Unsworth said Cr Thompson’s leadership, particularly in emergency management, was second to none.
“Her experience and strength shone through in the way she co-ordinated the devastating Dwellingup fires in 2007,” he said.
Cr Thompson’s list of service is significant, having been on more than 30 committees and boards as well as eight years as deputy president. She is also a JP.
For more visit https://www.communitynews.com.au/mandurah-coastal-times