Harrison ward councillors Glenn Goodfellow and Adele Hegedich have confirmed their interest in becoming Wyndham’s next mayor.
Star Weekly understands at least two other councillors are considering putting their hands up for the council’s top job at the vote on October 29.
A volunteer with Truganina CFA, Cr Goodfellow, who was first elected in 2008 and served as deputy mayor in 2011-12, said it was the right time for him to contest the mayoralty.
“I’ve been on council for coming up to six years and I think it’s the right time to give it a go,” he said. “It will be up to my colleagues whether they think I should get it.”
A qualified lawyer, Cr Hegedich, who was elected in 2009 as a result of a countback after Cr Marie Brittan stepped down, said she wanted to bring a youthful edge to the job.
“I think I can bring intelligence, passion and youthfulness to the role.
“The community needs to understand the role of a councillor is not [just] about people who are retired – it can be done by young people.”
Current mayor Bob Fairclough said he was “not in a position to comment” on whether he would stand for another term, while fellow Harrison ward councillor Intaj Khan said he wasn’t considering a tilt this year.
Chaffey ward councillors Marie Brittan, who was re-elected in 2012, and Michele Wharrie said they would not nominate for the role.
Cr Gautam Gupta wouldn’t commit when asked whether he was interested in leading the council.
Cr John Gibbons, also of Chaffey ward, is on personal leave and had yet to consider his position as of last week.
Asked about their intentions, Iramoo ward councillors Peter Maynard and Heather Marcus ruled themselves out, while Cr Peter Gibbons said the councillors, as a group, “haven’t even had a discussion” about the mayoralty.
