First Priority: Keeping COVID-19 Out

April 8, 2020

There’s only one priority in Cherbourg at present, and that is keeping COVID-19 out of the community, newly elected Mayor Elvie Sandow says.

Mayor Sandow and her team of four councillors – Bronwyn Douglas, Leighton Costello, Tom Langton and Fred Cobbo – were officially sworn in for their four-year term on Wednesday afternoon by Cherbourg Council CEO Chatur Zala.

Speaking to the media after the ceremony, Mayor Sandow said she felt very honoured to be the first woman elected to lead the Cherbourg community.

“I was raised by my two grandmothers and they were very strong women … I’m strong because of them,” she said.

Mayor Sandow was Deputy Mayor during the last term of Council while also working at the Gundoo Early Learning Centre.

However, she will be resigning this position now as being Mayor is a full-time job.

Mayor Sandow knows how Council works. She was first elected to Cherbourg Council back in 2000 and has served several terms since then.

She also worked as payroll officer with the organisation for 21 years.

“First of all, we need to get over this pandemic that’s around at the moment,” she said.

“My concern at the moment is the wellbeing of our elders in our community, and everyone else – our people – in our community.”

She said the government was introducing the restrictions for a reason.

“Once it gets into our community, it’s not going to get out,” Mayor Sandow said.

“We have to think about our Elders, we have to think about our young people. This is very important and people have got to start listening.”

Mayor Sandow said she expected challenges ahead but her aim was to make the right decisions for the Cherbourg community.

“I always remember … I’m in here because those people out there in the community put me here. And they put me here for a reason,” she said.

She said her passion was for early education, which laid the foundation for children.

“Children are our future. To make a difference in their lives, that’s where you’ve got to start,” she said.

Another challenge would be employment.

“We have to look at our young people and train them up. That’s opening the doors for our young people,” Mayor Sandow said.

She said the idea she was the first female mayor anywhere in the South Burnett hadn’t yet sunk in.

“I’m happy. I think my family is more happy. My mum is happy for me.

“It’s a long road but I say ‘Bring it on!’

“I’m a community person. I know what we need here. Being a community person, people can come and talk to me about anything.”

• Related article: Elvie Declared Cherbourg Mayor

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