Long-time Warrnambool business owner Debbie Arnott has thrown her hat into the ring as a candidate in the upcoming city council elections.
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Mrs Arnott said she had owned businesses in the city over the past 25 years and it was time to give back to the community that supported her and her family.
"Warrnambool has been a very good town to us so it would be nice if I could give something back in some way," she said.
Mrs Arnott said she had toyed with the idea of running for council for about 12 months.
"The impetus that has really pushed me over the line has been the upheaval with council in recent times," she said.
"If the community wants things to change, people have to put their hand up.
"I'm putting my hand up. I'll be trying to run a good campaign. I'm honest. I'm straightforward. What you see is what you get. I don't have a hidden agenda."
Mrs Arnott said the reputation and trust in the council needed to be restored.
"Council does need a fresh start," she said.
One of the items at the top of her priority list is the council sticking to a budget.
"That budgeting has got to get under control because I don't know whether it has been," Mrs Arnott said.
"I would like to see the rates not increase. I don't think that's fair that every time there's a problem the rates go up but that comes back to prudent spending."
She said the council needed to have a plan to navigate the major impact COVID-19 had had on business and future growth of the city.
Mrs Arnott said the plan needed to focus on not just business and construction but the community as a whole.
And that plan needed to have a more immediate focus, she said. "When they talk 2040, I'm thinking we've got to pull that in a little bit more," she said.
"If we can negotiate our way through all this, there's also great opportunity for tourism to attract people to Warrnambool because international tourism is going to be limited for quite a while yet.
"There's opportunity there to help those industries."
Mrs Arnott said achieving an open and transparent council that was engaged with the community and accountable were also high on her priorities.
Mrs Arnott owns Liebig Street fashion stores Style 105 and Style Active by Chloe.
Mrs Arnott is one of 13 people to so far declare their intent to run. The others are: Otha Akoch, Robert Anderson, Ben Blain, Jim Burke, Sue assidy, Tom Campbell, Kylie Gaston, Vicki Jellie, Steve Moore, Mike Neoh, Angie Paspaliaris and Tracey Togni.
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