Councillor Ian Earl receives ‘Eminent Service Award’
Long-serving Councillor and respected community member Ian Earl has been recognised for his outstanding service to our community.
Councillor Earl received an ‘Eminent Service Award’ at the WA Local Government Association’s (WALGA) annual awards on Friday 2 August. The awards acknowledge people in the State’s local government sector for their notable achievements and lasting contributions to the community.
Councillor Earl received an 'Eminent Service Award' for his distinguished service and contribution to Local Government and the Shire of Augusta Margaret River.
Shire President Julia Meldrum said Councillor Earl is a down-to-earth, all-in, hands-on, lead-by-example community leader, making him a very worthy recipient of the Eminent Service Award.
“Ian is the epitome of community service. His passion for where he lives and his drive to see our community thrive is evident in everything he does,” she said.
“From being a member of the Cowaramup Bushfire Brigade for 43 years and a President of six sporting clubs, to volunteering as a Student Mentor at the Margaret River Senior High School, and providing over 100 young people with workplace learning opportunities in his business, Ian’s dedication and commitment to our community is extraordinary.”
Councillor Earl said that he was honoured to receive the award.
“It is an honour to serve our wonderful Augusta Margaret River community, and to be recognised at the WALGA Awards night”, he said.
“I would like to thank Helen, my wife of 49 years, because without her I would not have been able to do all of these things and be so involved in this great community.”
Ian was first appointed as a Councillor at the Shire of Augusta Margaret River in 2009 and over the past 15 years has served as Councillor, Deputy President and Shire President.
His advocacy efforts have been instrumental in securing funding and driving change for our community. This includes securing support from multiple partners to complete the construction of the Margaret River HEART ($1.8m National Stronger Regions, $0.5m Regional Venues Improvement, $1.4m LotteryWest and $3.05 Royalties for Regions), which ensured the completion of the $10m project and delivery of our state-of-the-art facility for our community.
In addition, during the early days of the COVID pandemic, Councillor Earl worked closely with the CEO and Council to champion a $2 million COVID-19 Community Care Package to bolster economic recovery and support community resilience. This positioned the Shire of Augusta Margaret River as state leader providing a package that was more generous than any other Local Government in WA on a per head basis.
Councillor Earl also successfully advocated for an additional $3million of funding to ensure the Main Street Project was completed quickly to reduce the impact on local traders who were feeling the pinch from both COVID-19 and the redevelopment.
Ian has lived in Cowaramup most of his life and throughout his time in Augusta Margaret River, he has seen the district grow into a strong and vibrant region where residents can find employment and raise a family with confidence.