Richard Lavender, creator of the annual Douglas Halloween celebration 'The Haunting of Oak Beach', has announced he intends to run for a Douglas Shire Councillor position on November 9.

Mr Lavender is a 14-year Oak Beach resident and ratepayer. Though he’s the owner and director of a successful Internet marketing company, he’s perhaps best known locally for his commitment to ‘The Haunting’, a fun, community experience.

Mr Lavender established and ran two separate, successful businesses over the past three decades, and can therefore boast a sound business management background.

For 15 years, he was a self-described “hands-on” Chief Executive Officer of a successful software company, employing 150 skilled workers, managing a $15 million annual budget, and working closely with clients including Lucas Films and Software, Microsoft, AT&T and Bank of America.

While in the software industry, he established and was president of an IT Advocacy group outside of Silicon Valley, California, leading more than 80 fellow CEOs and Presidents from other IT companies to promote the industry, and represent it in various local and state governments.

Mr Lavender believes he can make a difference. He believes his expansive financial and business accumen makes him an ideal Council candidate, able to contribute to the success of the new Douglas Shire, help return it to a solid financial footing, and steer the Shire into an exciting and rewarding future for all residents.

He said the new Council “really needs new blood with fresh ideas; Councillors that are independent of local political groups and yet inclusive; who can listen well, analyse things deeply and, most importantly, know how to get things done.

“It's time for progress and moving forward, but in the right direction!” he said.

Mr Lavender said he views the Shire as “one of the last bastions of sanity in a hectic and sometimes crazy world. A pristine sanctuary of peace and beauty we cherish and protect, a great place to live together in harmony, a thriving local economy where we truly cooperate with each for our mutual success, a fantastic and welcoming destination for tourists to come and relax and take in the many wonders and joys of our little piece of paradise.”
 
If elected, Mr Lavender said he would:

• Work towards a balanced budget;
• Maintain quality services;
• Sustain and enhance tourism and agriculture ;
• Achieve chemical free water;
• Maintain the planning scheme;
• Expand the Daintree Gateway;
• Engage our Indigenous leaders;
• Come up with more win-win situations that create employment;
• Find new ways to better use the Internet in our democratic processes;
• Encourage companies to work together; and
• Within Council, create synergies to become more efficient and save money.

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For a detailed outline of Mr Lavender’s short-and long term priorities, visit www.richardlavender.com.