COOTAMUNDRA Mayor Paul Braybrooks has been awarded the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia for his years of dedication to local government and the Cootamundra community.
He said it is a great honour to be recognised.
Cr Braybrooks grew up in the United Kingdom where he met his wife Judy.
The couple moved to Australia in the 1970s and married in Sydney in 1978, before living in Wollongong for two years.
Following their time on the NSW South Coast, the couple moved back to the UK for three years.
1n 1983 they bought the pharmacy we now know as Braybrook’s Pharmacy and the couple set about creating a life in Cootamundra.
Life in local government
Cr Braybrooks was elected as a Cootamundra Shire Councillor in 1991, and two years later became Deputy Mayor, with this year’s Citizen of the Year Bruce Ward as Mayor.
In 1996 Cr Braybrooks became Mayor, a position he will have held for 14 years this September.
Eleven years ago he became chairman of REROC (Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils), an organisation which Cootamundra has belonged to since it was formed.
“I have enjoyed REROC; an enormous amount can be achieved when small to medium local government areas work together,” Cr Braybrooks said.
For the past decade, Cr Braybrooks has also been an executive on the Shires Association, holding down the position of treasurer for the past eight years.
Cr Braybrooks lists his work with Cootamundra Shire Council as his
proudest professional achievement, saying it is a pleasure to be able to see the results of what he and his fellow councillors vote on each month.
Being paid $9500 annually to take on the role of Mayor and devoting countless hours to the position, there is no doubt it is a labour of love for Cr Braybrooks.
While Cr Braybrooks has known about the nomination for a number of months, the information was kept under wraps until yesterday.
He paid special tribute to his family while speaking at yesterday’s Breakfast in the Park saying without their support he would not be able to do what he
does.
In recent years, Mrs Braybrooks has taken primary responsibility for the pharmacy, which Cr Braybrooks said has been invaluable to him in allowing him to focus on his work in local government.
He said his girls, Sally, Fiona and Julia had an
often unusual upbringing with his interest in Council works.
He recalls being on holidays and amongst the usual holiday fun of trips to the beach and the like, he took his wife and daughters to see all manner of Council related things, from street furniture to garbage tips in an effort to gather useful information for the
improvement of Cootamundra.
“Without the support of your family it is nigh on impossible to be in public life,” Cr Braybrooks said.
Putting Cootamundra first
In addition to his work with Council, REROC and the Shires Association, Cr Braybrooks is also a
member of the Rotary Club of Cootamundra, having held the position of president in 1994.
Cr Braybrooks has been a Rotarian for 28 years.
He is a member of the Cootamundra Community Library Committee; the Cootamundra Retirement Village Board; and has committed his time to many local organisations since 1985 including Landcare, Bushfire Brigade, Neighbourhood Centre Advisory Committee, Medical Review Committee, Health One Medical Centre Committee, Sir Donald Bradman Centennial Committee and the Cootamundra and District Country Education Committee.
He is a Board Member of the Capital Region Community Foundation (GreaterGood), a position he has held since 2006; and between 2000 and 2006 served as a board member on the Canberra Girls Grammar School Council.
He was a member of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia between 1983 and 2000 and a member of the Pharmacy Foundation, Charles Sturt University.
In 2000, Cr Braybrooks was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club of Cootamundra.
Paying tribute
In introducing Cr Braybrooks to the microphone, Master of Ceremonies Hugh Roberts, who sat on Council with Cr Braybrooks for a number of
years, paid tribute to the work Cr Braybrooks has achieved.
“I’m going to think back 20 years when Paul was a new face on Council,” Mr Roberts said.
“Paul had been to Shellharbour and learned that they were making their town more accessible to all.
“Now I see people getting around in gophers and think this is only possible because of the work done in the last 20 years.”
Cr Braybrooks’ daughter Fiona and his wife Judy were in attendance at yesterday’s celebrations, while his other daughters are currently overseas, Julia in Ecuador and Sally in Minneapolis, USA.
Sally sent a message to her father which was read out as part of the ceremony.
“Congratulations on receiving such as prestigious and important award,” Sally said.
“I am so proud of all the achievements you have made, all the projects and initiatives you have
pioneered, the important issues and decisions you have fiercely defended, as you all the while remain a man of dignity and poise.
“You continue to inspire and motivate those around you toward improving all aspects of Cootamundra and the importance of local communities.”
Mrs Braybrooks also congratulated her husband on his latest achievement.
“His genuine commitment to the community of Cootamundra, to the REROC Region and to local
government at state level has been enormous over the last 18 years,” Mrs Braybrooks said.
“He has promoted the profile and advantages of Cootamundra continually and our family has very willingly and proudly supported him in all his
endeavours.
This recognition of his hard work and dedication is very special.”
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