SHIRE of Collie president Sarah Stanley will resign from council at the October elections.
Cr Stanley said after six years in the role and 10 years in council “fresh energy is required”.
She said it had always been her plan to resign at this year’s elections. 
“When I ran for the last election I knew that I would have two years left in me, so I’d resign halfway through,” she said.
“It’s time for me to move on to my next challenges.”
Cr Stanley said when she had taken on the role Collie “was in a very different position” amid uncertainty about what a post-coal future would look like.
“The first thing we set about doing was to change the perception of Collie,” she said.
“Obviously opening Collie up to tourism has certainly helped change that, and the rest of the state has started to recognise Collie for the beauty that we know it is.”
Strengthening the local economy has been an underlying focus throughout her presidency, Cr Stanley added.
“What I have thrown myself into for the entire duration has been economic development, which is I think our highest priority,” she said. “It underpins everything else we want to do and achieve as a community.”
Cr Stanley said she is comfortable Collie is now well positioned moving forward, as it continues to focus on attracting new industries to town.
“Collie’s in a very strong position,” she said.
“We’re now looking at quite a few very strong diverse industries that are setting up shop in town.”
Constricted by limited finances and resources, Cr Stanley said the shire often runs “on the smell of an oily rag”.
She said this was one of the most challenging aspects of the role, with it necessary to “find ways to get things done with less resources”.
Cr Stanley is now looking forward to relaxing, spending time with friends and family, and working on her businesses.
“Particularly for the last six years as shire president my life hasn’t been my own,” she said.
“When I go out in town, there wouldn’t be a time that I’m not stopped and asked something. So, I haven’t really had a private life for that time.
“I’m very much looking forward to having that back.”