Ex-councillor appointed Woolshed chair as GM resigns

A FORMER Toowoomba councillor has been made the chair of the new board for the Jondaryan Woolshed, more than two years after the previous directors all resigned.

A FORMER Toowoomba councillor has been made the chair of the new board for the Jondaryan Woolshed, more than two years after the previous directors all resigned.

Mike Williams was endorsed by the Toowoomba Regional Council this week as the new chair of the board, which included community members Phillip Gregory, Amanda Kenefake, Anthony McWatters, Joy Mingay and Donald Pearson.

It comes just two months after the venue was forced to close due to repairs.

Mr Williams was the chair of the previous interim board, which was established in later 2017 following the resignation of the previous directors.

Finance and business general manager Arun Pratap said the board would be in effect for three years, as per the Woolshed's constitution.

"You'll see the two council officers that were previously on the interim board have already tendered their resignation, Nick Hauser and Ann-Marie Ryan," he told councillors.

"A former councillor, Mike Williams, is seeking re-appointment as a director and chair.

"The board has made a recommendation to appoint those board members."

Mayor Paul Antonio paid tribute to Mr Williams, saying he was confident in the venue's future following an uncertain period.

"Mike Williams has made an amazing contribution to the community through his skill and knowledge of finance, and in keeping with where we are with the Jondaryan Woolshed, we need a valued, capable person like Mike in the role," he said.

"The Woolshed is something we've inherited, the whole community knows that it requires significant funding, but it has enormous potential in the future in the preservation that's there."

Mike Williams, while he was a councillor. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The new board will likely continue the work done by the interim directors, which made progress in rectifying infrastructure risks and compliance issues at the venue.

It comes as the Woolshed's general manager Rebecca Pope announced she would resign at the end of the financial year.

"While a lot of work has been achieved in recent years, the aftermath of COVID-19, continued drought and the complexities of managing a historic site, will pose ongoing challenges for the road ahead," she said.

 "I would like to take this opportunity to thank staff, volunteers and community for their support over the past two years. It has been a privilege to be a custodian of such an important part of our region's history."

A recruitment campaign to fill the position will start in the coming weeks.

Originally published as Ex-councillor appointed Woolshed chair as GM resigns