Cr Peter Walker has been elected as Goulburn Mulwaree Council's mayor in a narrow vote.
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The former deputy mayor of the past three years won the top job against mayor of the past five years, Bob Kirk, in a five to four vote that surprised the predecessor.
Cr Walker was backed by newcomers Crs Steve Ruddell, Andy Wood, Jason Shepherd and councillor from the previous term, Andrew Banfield. Cr Kirk won support from Crs Michael Prevedello, Carol James and Dan Strickland. The nominees voted for themselves in an open show of hands, a method that departed from previous years and which was the subject of debate.
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In another departure from the norm, councillors voted not to elect a deputy mayor but to share the role based on skills and experience deemed appropriate for the situation.
In his first speech in the role, Cr Walker thanked Cr Kirk for his tutelage over the past few years.
"New councillors have given me the drive to step up," he said.
"...We have work to do. We have five fresh faces (on council) and we all have ideas."
Earlier, he had told the meeting he wanted to lead a council that communicated with the public, was open and transparent.
Both men pitched their credentials to colleagues in lengthy speeches.
After the meeting, Cr Walker told The Post he was very happy with the outcome. He had stood unsuccessfully for the top job in 2020.
"My agenda has not changed," he said, referring to his election campaign.
But Cr Kirk said he was surprised and "certainly disappointed" by the result.
"The community needs to know how councillors made up their mind because it was based on nothing said here tonight," he said.
"I thought I made a good case and spelt out a vision for the future."
As in his earlier speech, he noted that he'd won 23 per cent of the community's first preference vote at the recent election. It was an increase of 56pc on 2016 and he had topped the poll. Cr Kirk said in contrast, Cr Walker had won six per cent and was voted in seventh in the nine-member council.
"All of that was at work," he said.
"My vote went up (on 2016) and if that's not an endorsement of my leadership, I don't know what is. Peter's vote went backwards. I don't think that is representative (in the result).
"...I don't get it but I accept it. I'm still a councillor and I'll concentrate on trying to be the best councillor in the room."
Nevertheless, Cr Kirk said he wasn't an advocate of a popularly elected mayor. But in his speech he pointed out that the person who had achieved the most number of votes in the poll had been elected mayor.
He also spruiked his "proven leadership" over the past five years, network of state and regional connections which he'd built up, standing as a regional leader and ability to lead a cohesive team. Cr Kirk said he did not find it easy to speak about himself but in the face of challenge had to put forward his credentials.
"You have to choose the best person for the job. It is not about change for change's sake," he said.
A moment of tension flared following the mayoral election when Cr Kirk challenged Cr Walker's counting of a vote.
"You've been here for the past five years," Cr Kirk said.
Earlier, in his pitch, Cr Walker said a member of the community had taken him to task for standing as mayor when Cr Kirk won the most votes.
"This council doesn't have a popularly elected mayor and if it did, I wouldn't have the opportunity to stand tonight," he said.
But he maintained the notion that the person with the most votes should be mayor was an assumption only and was not in the rules.
Cr Walker told the meeting he was nominating because he'd enjoyed the past three years as deputy. He acknowledged he'd been "a bit outspoken at times and had raised his voice on several occasions."
However, he felt he'd achieved better outcomes with major projects with inclusion of a fly-tower for the performing arts centre and a gym at the aquatic centre.
But he also wanted to address "baggage" of the last five years, including Wakefield Park's future. He stressed that contrary to some public opinion, he had supported the motor racing circuit's continued operation by voting against a development application he and the operators felt was "inappropriate."
Cr Walker said it was vital that the council continued its opposition to Veolia's waste to energy facility and cited a community centre, second Run-O-Waters access, sporting amenities and a permanent home for Riding for Disabled and Goulburn Draft among the priorities.
He did not believe in "selling off the farm" and said he'd successfully argued to retain the council's Clinton Street building and wanted the former Bourke Street depot kept for a community centre.
"I believe the TAFE campus is under-utilised," Cr Walker said.
"If we can go down the path of providing certificates in aged care, we could become the centre in NSW for training people up."
No longer was council about roads, rates and rubbish and Cr Walker said the future was just as important as everything done in the past.
After the meeting, Cr Andrew Banfield told The Post he voted for Cr Walker because "it didn't hurt to have a different approach."
"I was on the fence," he said.
"Bob and the previous council did nothing wrong and time will tell whether Peter will be better. Bob is naturally disappointed but people in these positions get challenged all the time. It will just be a different mindset."
Cr Banfield successfully proposed the motion that there be no deputy mayor.
The mayor will serve until September, 2023. The new council will meet again on February 1.
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Louise Thrower
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
