COUNCILLOR Al Grundy has indicated his intention to resign from his role as Whitsunday Regional Councillor for Division 2, effective from Friday, October 14, 2022.
Councillor Grundy was elected to Council in 2020 and will have served two-and-a-half years of the current four-year term.
Mr Grundy has said the trigger for his decision to leave Whitsunday Regional Council – and take the role of CEO for the Mackay and Isaac Region tourism industry body – is due to his ‘spare capacity’, since the most recent election.
“When you’re a councillor, it’s really difficult to be as strategic as you want to be as a leader, as most of the role of strategic direction and leading the way falls on the Mayor,” Cr Grundy said.
“The reason I put my hand up to run for mayor is that I had some strong views on what we could do as a council but, after the election process, I was back to having all this spare capacity and it just so happened this (other) position was vacant.
“So now I’m still going to be able to use my strategic leadership and run the tourism sector for the Mackay and Isaac region, and the tourism sector in these regions works closely with Tourism Whitsundays. I’ll still be involved in the community.”
Councillor Grundy intends to live in Mackay, during the week, and travel back home to the Whitsundays to be with his family on the weekends.
He has ‘a lot of love’ for the Whitsunday region and intends to remain involved in the community.
Mayor Julie Hall said, on behalf of council, she thanks Cr Grundy for his time serving his division and for his contribution during his time as councillor.
“Cr Grundy is a very active member in the community and has represented council on a range of committees, with the environment, waste management and tourism at the centre of his approach,” she said.
“We wish him well for his future outside of council.”
Chief Executive Officer Rod Ferguson said that council would work closely with the Electoral Commission of Queensland to progress a by-election for Division 2, to fill the vacancy.
