By Mikayla van Loon
He has represented the Billanook Ward across a 15 year period and Tim Heenan said he still has “so much to give to my communities of Mount Evelyn and Lilydale”.
Trying for another term on Yarra Ranges Council, Mr Heenan said with over a decade of service under his belt, including two instances of being mayor and one as deputy mayor, he said “sincere thanks” had to go to the community “for having ongoing faith in me for all these years”.
“I believe I am well placed to work hard again with a councillor team for my ward of Billanook and of course other Yarra Ranges councillors to make decisions in the best interests of the ratepayers,” he said.
Recognised for his dedication to local government, Mr Heenan recently received a 15 year service award from the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV).
“It was a great honour to receive a 15 year award from the MAV and I was proud that my hard work was recognised,” he said.
“Being a councillor in local government is not an easy task because we are the closest to the people and there is always high expectation placed on us. We don’t get it right all the time but it means we have to continually listen and check back with the community.”
Looking ahead, Mr Heenan said the highest priority for him if re-elected would be the upgrading of ageing infrastructure, from drainage to footpaths and council-owned buildings, with a vision for the basics to be addressed first.
“I know only too well that people in Lilydale and Mount Evelyn want to see clean and decent facilities that they can use. I have always understood that this is what people expect of their council.
“Local unmade roads in Mount Evelyn would have all been made by the end of this decade but with the Federal Government taking back $97 million from Yarra Ranges, this has now dealt a devastating blow to these people who now have to continue to use roads in poor condition.
“I have been and will continue to advocate for the upgrading of Mount Evelyn’s unmade roads. In all my years of service to my community the most important issue that keeps coming up is attending to the basics that affect them.”
Having voted down rate rise over the last four years, Mr Heenan said this would also be something he’d continue to advocate for, while putting spending of ratepayer money at “front of mind”.
Mr Heenan said having witnessed and felt the continual cost shifting and forced changes from both higher levels of government throughout his last term, particularly with the effects of pre and post pandemic, this would require a great deal of attention.
“The Yarra Ranges is not getting its fair share of Federal and State grants. This is of great concern to me and will mean as a council we will have to work harder with less,” he said.
“We are the fifth largest council in Victoria and covering urban and rural areas and the continual cost shifting of services to local government will mean greater responsible accountability in all areas of council.
“I believe Yarra Ranges can grow and thrive into the future with good fiscal management but it will take a deeper focus on concentrating on what the people expect us to deliver to them.”
In this context, Mr Heenan said he would like to see public meetings at the forefront of the discussion process to “see more open and transparent connections so [the community’s] voices can be heard”.
As someone who has lived in Mount Evelyn for 38 years and prior to being elected for the first time in 2005, Mr Heenan volunteered in schools, churches and environment groups.
He prides himself on being a local and representing his community.
“You know me and know I will always be your voice in the council on matters that affect you directly.
“Yarra Ranges is my home and I care greatly about every part of it.”
