Angela Shepherd has had a big impact on the Cobar community for the past 11 years and will be sorely missed when she and her family soon leave town.
Angela came to work at Cobar Shire Council in February 2007 as their projects officer and admits she didn’t have the best first impression of the town, given it was 45 degrees when she arrived and her council house wasn’t ready to move into.
She said she has very much enjoyed her time working with council and the community.
“I came here not knowing what to expect.
“I worked at the Australian Local Government Association in Canberra and the move was an opportunity to get involved in the community,” Angela said.
“You’re very removed from the community in Canberra, but here you can actually see what you are doing.”
Angela said previously she’d never stayed any more than three years in a job.
“Here my work was always changing, never boring and there was always something new to do. You can see that what you’re doing is having an impact and that drives you to keep doing more,” she said.
Angela lists the construction of the skate park and the improvements to Drummond Park among her proudest achievements from her time working with council.
“They are physical things that make a difference to living in Cobar; they make it better,” she said.
In addition to her council role, Angela was also the Cobar Business Association’s secretary for 11 years, and was a committee member of the Cobar Junior Soccer Club, Cobar Rugby Club (junior committee), Cobar Little A’s, Cobar Junior Cricket, Cobar Miners Memorial, the Economic Taskforce, and Cobar Public School P&C.
“My kids like being involved in everything and they can’t be if no one’s running it,” she said.
Cobar Shire Council general manager Peter Vlatko said Angela had made a “significant contribution to council and the community”.
“Her passion and commitment to the community is going to be missed very much,” Mr Vlatko said.