Michaela Meade
The Brimbank Ratepayers & Residents Association (BRRA) is calling for councillor Virginia Tachos to be named the next Brimbank Mayor.
BRRA president Irene Stokes said the choice made for mayor of the municipality was important given recent COVID-19 cases in the area, and lockdown restrictions putting stress on residents.
“More than ever, the next Mayor needs to be someone with experience, a history of successful community engagement, someone with high integrity who is respected, can communicate well, lead and influence at this time where Brimbank residents are suffering, divided and looking for real leadership from this Council and particularly its new Mayor,” Ms Stokes said.
BRRA conducted a recent poll on its own as well as other Brimbank community Facebook pages, asking Brimbank residents who they would like to see as their next mayor.
According to BRRA, Cr Tachos was the stand out candidate.
In a comment posted to Facebook regarding the poll, one resident said: “I love the way Virginia has battled for the people that live near that smouldering dump [Barro landfill], the way she advocates for the people of Brimbank, the way she keeps us up to date with local affairs and her quiet humility.”
Another commenter said: “It would be a great win for our community if Cr Tachos is voted in as mayor.”
Ms Stokes said she was urging all council members to “put the Brimbank community ahead of politics” when it came time to select the next mayor for the municipality.
“There is no doubt that 2022 will continue to be a difficult year for many and Brimbank needs a strong voice who will lead this community into a post COVID environment with many important issues to deal with which impact significantly on many Brimbank residents,” she said in a statement.
