South-west councils enter caretaker period on Tuesday when nominations for next month's elections close.
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We can expect robust campaigns across the region with a heightened appetite for democracy, born out of frustrations with all levels of government.
Local government should be all about communities because at the grass roots level, projects, initiatives, upgrades, have profound impacts and often mean more to people living in those areas rather than impersonal big-picture state and federal government developments.
Warrnambool City councillors reflected earlier this month they had made significant achievements in their four-year term.
The controversial city centre renewal project was completed, the long-awaited Reid Oval redevelopment is set to begin, Lake Pertobe has been upgraded, the saleyards will finally get a roof, beach access points have been improved and a dog park has been created.
"We have been busy and we have done a lot and we should be proud," mayor Tony Herbert said.
But even he hoped events of the past couple of months would not overshadow that work.
Sadly, they have. Ratepayers will remember the politics among councillors over the sacking of the chief executive officer and last year's acrimonious mayoral election. One former, respected mayor in July said councillors were adults "and they need to act like it instead of acting like children".
Councillors are elected by the people to represent them. This core principle has seemingly been forgotten. As any one who has ever been involved in a vote knows, you win some and lose some. As long as you had a chance to have a say, you have to move on and respect democracy. You might not like it but move on you must and do what's in the best interests of those you represent.
The next council, whoever is elected, needs to learn from the past four years. Those fortunate enough to sit around the council table need to remember power is a privilege, not a right. Self-interest has no place. And we voters will be the judge of that.