Trim council trio bid farewell

Tributes were paid at the May meeting of Trim Town Council to the three retiring councillors who have decided not the contest the 5th June elections. Fianna Fáil"s Jimmy Peppard, Labour"s Danny O"Brien and independent Robbie Griffith are all retiring from their seats on the council and they attended their last monthly meeting as sitting councillors on Tuesday night of last week. Cathaoirleach Cllr Trevor Golden wished Councillors Griffith, Peppard and O"Brien all the best for the future and thanked them for all their work over the years. Cllr Danny O"Brien thanked the town council staff and managers for all their help over the past 10 years. He said he should apologise for some of his rants over the years but that most councillors knew it was not meant to be personal. He spoke from the heart when he felt something was unjust. He added that he would never have a greater honour than being cathaoirleach and that when he looked back on the town 10 years ago and looks at it now, Trim is a different place. Despite the pressure of growth, it had retained its character. Cllr Robbie Griffith said he had sat with a good few councillors around the old table in the town hall and that the current council was one of the best he had worked with. He added that councillors had 'put their head on the line and went looking for the €5m for the roads' and that not too many councils would do that. Cllr Griffith said he had been on the council for 25 years and that there had been big changes since then. It was great to see the town doing so well. He added that he had the honour of serving the town four times as cathaoirleach and was the last member of the town council. However, Cllr Griffith said that, on a sour note, he had never seen the town looking as bad as it did on the last bank holiday weekend. He said he knew there was very little money but the council had very little money 20 years ago and still managed to get staff out on a Sunday to empty the street bins. Cllr Jimmy Peppard said he was very proud to have been part of the council and that, over the last 10 years, much had been achieved such as the Porchfields walk, the playground, the sports and recreation centre, the improvements in infrastructure and road repairs and the new OPW offices in Trim. He said there were a number of unresolved issues he was leaving behind such as the boundary extension and felt this change was the only way the council could go forward properly. 'The boundary is the key to the future growth and future democracy of the town and every councillor recognised that. I"m slightly disappointed it hasn"t happened to date,' said Cllr Peppard. Councillors each wished of the retiring councillors well in the future and thanked them for their work over the years.