Tim Meyer is West Wimmera Shire’s new mayor. 

The first-term councillor was appointed the role at a statutory meeting at Kaniva on Wednesday last week. 

He takes the reins from his father, fellow councillor Bruce Meyer who served in the top job for the past three terms. 

The pair are farmers at Kaniva. 

Cr Tim Meyer, who was nominated to council at the 2020 election, said it was a ‘privilege’ and ‘quite humbling’ to earn election as mayor. 

He said continued advocacy for the West Grampians Pipeline project and roads funding remained high priorities for the council. 

“The fresh new face of the council will hopefully bring a fresh new outlook to the council and keep things positive and moving in the right direction,” he said. 

“I know the shire quite well and would like to be involved in communities across the municipality. 

“I know we have our challenges, but I really look forward to tackling them and getting stuck into it and being positive; really getting the good news out that we do a lot of good things and help a lot of people.” 

Cr Tim Meyer paid tribute to the outgoing mayor for his service. 

“I give thanks to the former mayor, Bruce Meyer, whose experience and wisdom has been outstanding in the role and it’s something I’ll lean into,” he said. 

“It’s been three mayoral terms in a row and it’s been quite the workload and quite the effort and he should be proud of all the things he’s been able to achieve.” 

Cr Tom Houlihan nominated Cr Meyer for mayor and Cr Jodie Pretlove for deputy mayor, which she continues for a third term. 

Cr Trevor Domaschenz nominated himself for both mayor and deputy role but did not gain support from the councillor group. 

He has nominated twice previously, during his six-year tenure to date, without success. 

“I’ve done my time,” Cr Domaschenz said. 

“The committees I’m on have a workload nearly as big as council.” 

Cr Bruce Meyer received a nomination for mayor but did not accept. 

Cr Bruce Meyer has been a councillor for 27 years, including nine previous terms as mayor.

He was the first mayor of the inaugural West Wimmera Shire Council in 1997 following council mergers. In a lead-up to amalgamation he was a councillor with the former Kaniva Shire Council.

He was appointed to a Member of the Order of Australia in 2020 for his service to local government and the west Wimmera community. 

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