There are also some fresh faces running for council. 

Eurobodalla Shire Councillor Danielle Brice has decided not to run again after serving one term. See full story here. 

Cr Neil Burnside is still recovering from pneumonia after another stint in hospital and was not sure he was physically fit enough to run in the election. 

He said he still had something to contribute to local government and would remain involved in some way, but had no regrets if he did not run again. 

“Narooma in particular looks better than it did four years ago,” he said. 

Last time around, he ran with the Eurobodalla Ratepayers Association (ERA), which split in 2015 after a disagreement.

Cr Rob Pollock is running again and has ambitions to become mayor. 

“I like being involved. I think I bring a reasonable perspective of issues that come before council. I enjoy helping people,” he said. 

“Again, I think we have gone a long way in the past four years to bringing council to the people and creating a greater level of confidence and respect, but there is still a way to go on that. 

“I think we have gone some way but we can certainty go further and improve.”

Cr Pollock was looking forward to expanding on the memorandum of understanding with the Bega Valley Shire Council. 

“I think the memorandum of understanding with Bega is just a first step of a terrific and practical journey to bring economies to both Bega Valley and ourselves in terms of work we do in tourism and the way we can learn from each other procedures in a whole range of things,” he said. 

“I’m sure we can arrange a system were we can arrange to pay for one lot of organisations, instead of two. For example, one payroll system or one planning control. I think there is a real opportunity to reduce costs to both bodies.”

Cr Liz Innes is also running for mayor, this time with the ‘Community Action Alliance’ group. She ran with ERA in 2012.

“I think it is really worthwhile, once you have experience of a term and you have that knowledge under your belt, that you continue to apply it,” she said. 

“We have made some really serious gains in the past four years but there is still some serious work to do to turn the shire around and make it the best shire in the state.”

Cr Innes said it was time for a female Mayor. 

“I believe it is about time we had some strong leadership in this shire. I think the current leadership has been lacking in vision and strength,” she said. 

“I feel it is time for a woman to be given a go. I think I have the strength and ability and have knowledge under my belt and i’m ready to go. 

“We really need to make sure we have a bright future for our young people in this shire. The youth and young families in this shire is where the future lies.”

She wants to trend #wedeservebetter. 

Crs Peter Schwarz, Lindsay Brown and Gabi Harding are yet to respond to the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner. It is unclear if they will run again or not. 

Cr Milton Leslight, who was also a part of the ERA, is also yet to respond to questions from the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner, but it is understood he will run again.

There are also newcomers to this year’s election. 

They include Mathew Hatcher, Viviane Wheatley, Anthony Mayne, Coral Anderson, Maureen Searson and Ben Potter.

Mrs Searson, of Catalina, wants to be a “progressive voice for Batemans Bay and all citizens in the Eurobodalla Shire”. 

She is a member of the Labor party.

Mathew Hatcher, from Tomakin, is 34 and is running for the first time. 

He will support Liz Innes and wants to be a voice for the youth and young families in the community. 

“Everyone complains about council,” he said. 

“Nobody seems to want to stand up and change it. We need a long-term plan for tourism and sustainable development for the town. The council is reactive and not proactive of long-term planning,” he said.

“Youth unemployment is an issue here. There seems to be a focus on the older generation, rather than on the issues facing the youth. 

“I am passionate about the younger generation getting a chance. Everything dies down in the winter, we need to be focusing on getting people here outside the summer periods to keep things open and people in jobs.

“So many young people move away, they don’t stay here because they know there is no employment and nothing to do. 

“We are losing the young families. We need to start bring people come back in.”

Mr Hatcher wants to see the Batemans Bay Bowling Club site stay in the communities hands. He said turning it private would be “the worst outcome”.

Viviane Wheatley, of Batemans Bay, has recently retired from finance.

“I have a lot of passion for the community. I am a clear thinker and do a lot of research and take in all the information needed to make an informed decision,” she said. 

“To be promising people anything on specific issues at the moment when you aren’t elected, I don’t think it is fair. 

“My mother is elderly, my husband and I are retirees, my son and his wife work here and my grand children go to school here. I cover the range of ages living here. 

“I am very interested in youth employment in the area and looking for opportunities to grow job opportunities that are year-long and sustained so people aren’t just employed in the school holidays.”

Mrs Wheatley was a strong community voice in support of residents affected by the bats. 

“The bats certainly made me realise that I haven’t really taken much notice of what the council does on a day to day basis,” she said. 

“Doing the research on that issue and talking to the council just heightened by realisation that you can’t sit back and complain if you aren’t going to be active and put yourself forward to contribute to the running of the shire.”

She will support Cr Rob Pollock for Mayor.

Anthony Mayne from Mossy Point is standing with the Community Voice Eurobodalla group and is aiming to become Mayor.

“I want to protect the nature coast while building local jobs with a council that is transparent in its service of the community,” he said.

“I want the council to keep its doors open. I would like to see us develop our local food production. The potential there is for up to 100 jobs.

“It is important for us for the council to work closely with the community and the Chamber of Commerce in Batemans Bay in revitalizing the gateway to the Eurobodalla. 

“I also look forward to working with the arts and culture community in developing a whole of shire plan, which includes the potential utalisation of Batemans Bay Bowling Club.”

Mr Mayne said he would like to see the process that led to HuntFest reviewed and get a “better understanding of the available options”. 

Coral Anderson lives in Batehaven and has a background as a legal secretary. She is running with the Community Voice Eurobodalla group. 

“I believe that honesty is the most important quality to have in any relationship whether that be personal or otherwise,” she said.

“From there you can build trust and respect.  Without these building blocks, we cannot thrive as a whole community.”

Ms Anderson said she would like to see changes to the way council meetings are conducted to “encourage more participation by the people in a less intimidating atmosphere”.

“I have observed a number of live streamed meetings of the current council as well as attending a number of community/council meetings in person and have formed the opinion that the will of the people in general is not taken into consideration when important issues of social impact are determined by councillors,” she said. 

“There is a need for even further transparency, inclusion and consultation when deciding matters regarding the future of the shire.

Ms Anderson said she wanted to see the Batemans Bay cinema reopened, a heated pool, a management plan for the flying fox camp that will “please everyone, more parking for caravans, the removal of paid parking in the Batemans Bay CBD, sensible development and retention of public parks.