Wyndham has a new mayor, with councillor Peter Maynard elected to the top job overnight.
It’s the second mayoral term for the sports development portfolio holder, who previously held the position in 2014-15. As mayor for the next 12 months, Cr Maynard will also take on the growth and transport portfolio.
Cr Maynard, who was elected unopposed, thanked all council employees – from school crossing supervisors up – for making the city a “cohesive and well-oiled unit”.
“To the residents of Wyndham, I say this: this council have always, and will always, continue to put the best interests of the community at the forefront of what we do with evidence-based decisions.”
Outgoing mayor Henry Barlow said it had been a great honour to serve.
“If we only worry about roads, rates and rubbish, the pot holes, the overhanging tree branch, how high is the grass cut in the local park, as a city we’re not going to go very far,” Cr Barlow said.
“We have to look at least 20 years in advance to as to what you want the city to be … and I think we’ve been very successful in doing that.”
But confusion reigned when it came to the election of the deputy mayor, with Cr Maynard having to call for a vote on whether or not the council wanted to include a deputy mayor position four times before it could be properly carried out.
Following the election of first-time councillor Walter Villagonzalo to the position of deputy mayor, fellow councillor Heather Marcus called for the election of a second deputy mayor to serve the growing city.
However, council laws will need to be officially amended for that to occur. The matter is likely to be debated at the December council meeting.
