COUNCIL ELECTION: What I will fight for next term

Councillor Smith will contest again with only two suburbs left remaining in her division

Cr Ellen Smith on the site proposed for a Gracemere high school

COUNCILLOR Ellen Smith still has three main passion projects she would like to complete - and for that ­reason, among many others, she is standing again for division four in the Rockhampton ­Regional Council election this March.

Cr Smith has been in local government since before the amalgamation.

She was first elected to the Fitzroy Shire Council from 2000 to 2008 before ­returning again to Rockhampton Regional Council in 2012.

Her division currently covers Stanwell, Kabra, Gracemere and Bouldercombe.

In her time, Cr Smith has been involved in countless projects with more recently, $45 million spent through projects in Gracemere.

This has been through works at Cedric Archer Park, Touch of Paradise, a new library and upgrades to the cemetery, roads and footpaths.

What Cr Smith would love to see is more progress on a high school for Gracemere.

Although it is not a local council issue but a State Government project, Cr Smith can use her council power to push the project.

Cr Smith said the numbers spoke for themselves with a reported extra 100 students using the bus service to schools in Rockhampton in the past couple of years.

Warraburra State School has approximately 500 students and is the biggest primary school on the south side of Rockhampton - meaning the students end up at Rockhampton high schools.

"My fear is when we do get a lot of people coming to live here, when Adani starts and the $5000 incentive we have, we are going to get all these people and we are going to need a high school and we won't have it," Cr Smith said.

"It is going to be a race against time to build one then."

Gracemere itself is a massive growth area with an extra 1000 people added to the electoral role between the 2016 election and the May 2019 election.

"We need to keep abreast of the growth and keep up with it.

"The fact we are putting millions into upgrades of our sewerage treatment plant, that is looking into the future," Cr Smith said.

Water is also a big issue in Gracemere as many ­properties in the outer areas are not connected - $600,000 has been spent so far doing so, with about another $500,000 to spend.

"The drought has ­highlighted people who don't have bores or have dry bores, they have run out of rain water and they've got big families and are carting water every second day, Cr Smith said.

A PCYC is also something that is badly needed in Gracemere.

Gracemere has an above state average record of ­children under four and youth under 19, Cr Smith said.

"I think sometimes youth just need a bit of guidance."

A high school, water and the PCYC are Cr Smith's "unfinished projects".

"If you are going to retire from council, you like to leave knowing you have done the best you can to fulfil the residents' wishes... I haven't got to that point yet," she said. "I would like to see even if we don't get a high school in the next four years, we are closer to getting one."

As a result of boundary changes effective for the 2020 election, division four will lose the townships of Stanwell and Kabra, which will move to division five.

"I am sad to lose them, I think I have done as much as I can for the smaller communities," Cr Smith said.

"Kabra is getting a big intersection upgrade at ­Boongary Rd of $870,000.

"And in Stanwell, we bitumened all the streets in the main part of Stanwell and some on the outside as well."

Cr Smith is now chair of the Planning and Regulatory Committee and said she would be interested in retaining this role.

"I think we have made good inroads with animal management," she said.

"We have made programs to help low income families to get dog microchipped and vaccinated and educate the public.

"Planning has been a ­challenge however I enjoy the challenge, there is a lot of sleepless nights when there is a big decision to make ­because it affects people's lives."

As a whole, what Cr Smith enjoys most about being a councillor is helping people.

She has been involved with the community for a long time and enjoys running events that involve the whole community.

"It's always pleasing when something turns out well for someone that needs help," Cr Smith said.