FORMER Wattle Range Councillor James Yates wants to be the next Robe mayor.
Mr Yates served multiple terms on the Penola District Council and was then elected to the first term of Wattle Range Council from 1997-2000 as a Riddoch Ward representative.
During his past career in local government, he chaired such sub-committees as engineering and planning.
Mr Yates had a high-profile across the region as chairman of Tourism South East and as proprietor of Chardonnay Lodge restaurant and accommodation complex at Coonawarra.
In recent years, Mr Yates has lived at Robe and regularly airs his views in the mainstream electronic media.
The mayoralty is being vacated by Peter Riseley, who wishes to be an area councillor again after serving at the helm for the past eight years.
The other candidate for mayor is serving councillor Alison Nunan.
She had originally nominated to be an area councillor but withdrew this nomination and went instead for the top job.
Cr Nunan lives on the family farming property at Bray and is active in community life.
She is a player and life member of the Robe Netball Club and a past secretary of the Millicent Racing Club.
Originally from Port Augusta, she moved to the region with her family when she was 13 years of age.
After training as an agronomist and working at Strathalbyn, Ms Nunan moved back to this area at the age of 25.
She married local farmer Brad Nunan and they have raised four children who have all attended Kangaroo Inn Area School.
Cr Nunan had told The South Eastern Times a few months ago that she appreciated the level of personal support and she would be making a bid for re-election.
“I have learnt how council works and I have got an understanding of the processes,” Cr Nunan said.
Her special interest in the next council from 2018-2022 would be the provision of accommodation for the aged.
The other candidates for the six area councillor positions are serving councillor Rino Dell’Antonio, past councillor Ned Wright and newcomers Tim Rogers, Michael Boyd, Bob Bates, David Laurie and Brenton Lynch-Rhodes.
Mr Bates and Mr Laurie had put themselves forward as candidates at a by-election in mid-2017, which elected Cr Nunan.
The by-election was required after Cr Kristina Alexander resigned after seven years of service.
The four retiring councillors are deputy mayor Harvey Nolan, ex-deputy mayor David Loxton as well as Councillors Lawrie Polomka and John Enright
