“His contribution to the civic, community and economic growth of the shire will long be remembered. Council expresses its sincere condolences to Mr Hetherington’s family.

Cr Allen asked councillors, “please join with me in a minute’s silence.”

Deputy mayor Michael Britten paid tribute to the foresight and political acumen Mr Hetherington had shown and the progress he had achieved as shire president.

“I was on council with him from 1983 to 1987 and supported him as shire president from 1984 onwards, when he succeeded Reg Taylor,” Cr Britten said.

“As shire president he led this shire out of the amalgamation of three separate local government areas and started to forge the consolidation of those areas. It was one of the most critical periods in the development of this shire.”

“Bruce built the new shire headquarters in Bega and obtained the car parking and other community assets for Merimbula that we are building on now,” he said.

These had included the Merimbula library, council offices and squash courts, additional parking in the Palmer Street car park and the pedestrian crossing.

“Most of the significant earlier achievements in this shire took place under his guidance as shire president.

“They were very difficult days with the balance of power being held by councillors from Bega.

“But it was a tribute to Bruce and to those councillors that he was elected as shire president.

“It was a vital time in the development of the shire. The staff operated from the town hall and a demountable and from the former Mumbulla offices until the new headquarters was built. We received no money from the state government to help with the amalgamation of the shires.”

Cr Britten said that Mr Hetherington had always retained a keen interest in shire affairs and had called in to see him just a few weeks ago to discuss local issues.

Edna Ducanson, who succeeded Mr Hetherington as shire president in 1988, said that he was a man of very firm convictions, who was a clear thinker and very methodical.

“He was a very strong character and someone who worked tirelessly to make amalgamation work, despite the misgivings that many of us had about it,” she said.

Along with other councillors at that time he had tried his best to be non-parochial and to work in the best interest of the whole shire.

Mrs Duncanson said she had been his deputy for two years before taking over from him in 1998.

A funeral service for Mr Hetherington will be held at the Pambula Town Hall, at 11am Wednesday, October 28.