Elsie Adamo
LONG-SERVING Councillor Shirley Little has decided it is time to pass the baton after representing the Tarpeena community for the last 28 years.
Starting her time on Council in 1994, Cr Little originally served on the District Council of Mount Gambier, which would eventually be amalgamated with the District Council of Port Macdonnell to become Grant District Council in 1996.
Deciding not to renominate at the upcoming elections, Cr Little will finish up her council responsibilities in November. It will mark the first time in Grant Council history she will not be representing Tarpeena.
Cr Little first decided to run for council after she was approached by community members in 1994 as there would be a vacancy.
“My Mother had owned the Post Office in Tarpeena, and I knew a lot of the people,” Cr Little said.
“Most people knew me, and the community knew I was pretty well available.”
Born and bred in Tarpeena, Cr Little said she has spent little time living outside her town over the years.
Cr Little listed the swim scheme, skate park, netball courts and the kerbing of the community roads.
“Some of those sports facilities are not as relevant now, but they were very relevant back in the day,” she said.
“There have been lots of small things, often improvements happen gradually.
“My attitude was ’win a few lose a few’, if you did not get what you thought the people in your town wanted, you had to persevere later when things had changed a little.”
But while Cr Little said there were many achievements, there were also some setbacks.
“My biggest disappointment, and it was not the council’s fault, was the closure of the Tarpeena School,” she said.
“It was devastating, we had three generations of my family go through the school, it was part of our town’s history. I don’t think I have ever really come to terms with the school closing.”
In her tenure in the Tarpeena Ward, Cr Little mostly ran unopposed in the 10 elections and said the position certainly changed over the years.
“When I started, councils were about roads, rates and rubbish, but it is not now,” she said.
“It is a lot more involved in other areas…it is more technical now with what is needed to make things happen, and there is much more technology in how councils operate these days.”
Cr Little started her Council career navigating council amalgamation and is now finishing it with another potential amalgamation looming on the horizon. She is clear on her thoughts on Grant Council and Mount Gambier Council being combined.
“I think the smaller places will be forgotten if amalgamation goes ahead,” she said.
“It will become very city-centric, towns like Tarpeena and Yahl will be left behind.
“Tarpeena needs to be represented by someone from Tarpeena, it can get a bit forgotten sometimes…you need someone that understands the requirements of your particular areas.”
Cr Little said she was stepping back to focus more on her family but will miss it.
“I have almost always enjoyed going to Council,” she said.
“I have met some great councillors and mayors, like Rory McEwen and Don Pegler, and you can learn a lot from those people.
“The people I met and worked with were great people, and I can’t say enough good things about the helpfulness of the staff.
“Many former staff members who paved the way for others to do good work.”
Former Grant Mayor Don Pegler, who was on Council with Cr Little for 13 years, said she always had been a strong voice for her community.
“Shirley was a tremendous councillor who contributed a lot to not only the Tarpeena community but the whole District Council of Grant,” Mr Pegler said.
“She was very passionate and a great person to work with. She was always very level-headed and thought the issues through well before she made decisions, she would not be led by others.”
