Not just for him, but also the shire’s 20,000-plus ratepayers and their families.
And it’s not as if he is coming here with no idea what’s going on.
“Loddon-Campaspe is the area I’ve lived in all my life,” he said.
Mr Niemann already has a distinguished 40-year career in local government under his belt.
He is a former chief executive at both the City of Greater Bendigo and Loddon Shire, and sat on the board of Bendigo Health.
“What I’m really trying to do is help the transition from (former chief executive) Pauline (Gordon), to myself, to the shire’s new chief executive, and make it as smooth as it possibly can be,” he said.
“It can take a little while to find the right person so I’m also making sure the council is well prepared and ready to make the best decision possible, both for them as an organisation, and for the community.”
A Carlton tragic who loves nothing more than a lazy Saturday morning coffee with his family, the interim boss brings a raft of local government experience and community knowledge with him to the role.
“It’s an advantage knowing some of the people and topics going on around the shire, and it was a good fit for me to step into the role having been a chief executive before,” he said.
While nothing about this multifaceted role is cut and dried, let alone simple, Mr Niemann has been able to distil it right down: he just has to keep the wheels turning.
Which, in the case of Campaspe Shire, might be easier said than done.
One of the biggest challenges on a lot of radars in the twin towns, not just his, is the immediate future of the $13 million Victoria Park redevelopment.
This legacy project has been hamstrung since human remains were uncovered during construction, and work has been stalled since then.
Major tenant the Echuca Football Netball Club planned to be a nomadic enterprise this year but all plans said the players would be back on their home turf in 2027.
That’s not going to happen, and so far no-one can even say when work will resume.
Then there is Rochester, where the community has a weather eye on Lake Eppalock, which is now 101 per cent full, with water being released daily as well as going over the spillway.
“We’re working hard to find a solution to the Victoria Park situation,” Mr Niemann said.
“We’ve also been watching Lake Eppalock very carefully, and I’ve learnt there’s a lot of readiness.
“If there’s any sort of flooding down the Campaspe River, our teams are really well prepared, and the communities are better prepared.
“There’s better knowledge of if and what happens (in the case of flooding), but I’m a little bit confident it’s not going to happen.
“Yes, Lake Eppalock is full, but the weather’s becoming pretty dry (so) hopefully things dry out a little bit.”
With his role set to continue until at least November, Mr Niemann is also keeping a close eye on the Victorian election.
“We’ll be talking to all the candidates, making sure they’re aware of what our advocacy priorities are from a council perspective on behalf of the community,” he said.
“Also providing them with information on any issues they’re talking about to help them with public statements and project advocacy.
“There could well be change, but who actually knows how things will shift between now and the election.
“We’ll work with our local members and the candidates to make sure they are there to represent our needs.”
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