It’s Local Government Week, an event dedicated to the important work councils do for their communities. To acknowledge our dedicated staff, we are sharing with you a bit about them and how they help you in Kempsey Shire.
This is Cooper and he is a member of the Bridge Crew, which, as the title suggests, helps build bridges around the shire.
Spending his childhood in the Upper Macleay, Cooper has a fond appreciation for the area. He spent his time as a kid catching bass and enjoying the great outdoors.
Nowadays, he still cherishes the Macleay Valley and participates in the great community he lives in.
“I love living in the Macleay. We have some of the best beaches, and on the weekends you will find me either spearfishing or playing footy with the Mustangs.”
A childhood dream of Cooper’s was to become a pilot and, though he has chosen a different path, he has a great appreciation for the work he and his team do.
“I like the diversity in the places we work. One day we can be working on Back Creek footbridge, then the next at Black Bullocks bridge out on Five Day Creek Road. The guys I work with are awesome and I’m glad I get along with them well.”
Cooper wears many hats in his role at Council, where he carries out dogman work with cranes, building formwork to pour concrete slabs and installing bridge piles.
In times of crisis, Cooper is also seen opening and closing flood gates and helping stranded residents regain access to their homes and essential services.
“We’ve replaced up-river bridges that were burnt in the bushfires for residents to regain proper access from their homes.”
Cooper is one of more than 300 Council staff working hard every day to provide an enormous number of services to residents.
