IN February of 1977, a young John Hartigan became a Shire of Buninyong staffer as a surveyor, before the local government amalgamated with the City of Ballarat.<\/p>\n
Almost 45 years later, he\u2019s still working for the municipality with passion, having been infrastructure development officer and manager of the Ballarat Airport for the last 24 years, leading 85 workers on site, and the many community groups based out of its huts.<\/p>\n
Overseeing a capital program worth tens of millions of dollars, he was also recently a key part of City obtaining a $5 million grant to extend the airport\u2019s runway.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see around 30,000 aircraft movements a year; taking off and landing. The air ambulance is here three times a week, and the police helicopters come here to refuel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have approximately 10 major company tenants on site, and I love checking in with them. Lots of people come out to the airport to watch the different-sized aircrafts, including parents who bring their young children out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey love to see the planes, and council is very supportive of children around the airport because we know they are tomorrow\u2019s fliers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Hartigan has had a range of roles in the municipality\u2019s engineering sector since the late-70s, and has seen lots of change, surveying for five years, before he was employed as a purchasing officer and estimator for engineering projects for 12.<\/p>\n
Contributing to the Warrenheip, Scotsburn, and Garibaldi Halls along the way, Mr Hartigan helped develop the Buninyong Botanic Gardens, at one stage managed Buninyong, Mount Clear and Mount Pleasant\u2019s waste contracts, and introduced garbage services to the local government area\u2019s most rural locations.<\/p>\n
He was also a witness, and participant, of some memorable moments along the journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember Charles and Diana visiting in 1985, and thousands of people waving flags and cheering along Sturt Street,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember Anthony Edwards rowing the Olympic torch down the lake in 2000. In 2000, the Queen also visited Ballarat.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my best memories was in 1982 when the Queen\u2019s baton was carried all the way around Australia. I was lucky enough to carry it for one kilometre of that journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Decades on, Mr Hartigan said he is as happy as ever as a member of the municipality\u2019s team.<\/p>\n
In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, family time with his two sons and four grandchildren, and renovating old homes, but still relishes the chance to head off to work through the week.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day I am so proud to work for the City of Ballarat because we are all working for the community, and every day, we all make a difference,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBallarat means so much to me. I still have the passion for working for the community, because I\u2019ve never done the same job for a long period of time, and I\u2019ve always taken the skills from the last job into the next.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always say I wish the journey was starting all over again, and not coming to an end. I have loved the journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
City of Ballarat CEO Evan King said Mr Hartigan has been \u201cintegral\u201d to the municipality\u2019s development for more than 44 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI admire John\u2019s commitment and passion for his work, and both the City of Ballarat and Ballarat community have benefitted enormously from his efforts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cJohn\u2019s involvement across so many critical projects over four decades, has in no small way contributed to the Ballarat we see and enjoy today.<\/p>\n
\u201cI congratulate and thank John for his professionalism and for being an example to us all.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IN February of 1977, a young John Hartigan became a Shire of Buninyong staffer as a surveyor, before the local government amalgamated with the City of Ballarat. Almost 45 years later, he\u2019s still working for the municipality with passion, having been infrastructure development officer and manager of the Ballarat Airport for the last 24 years, […]<\/p>\n