Councillor Jennie Barrera is the new mayor of Wyndham after being elected unopposed at a council meeting last night.
Cr Barrera succeeds councillor Susan McIntyre as mayor after serving as her deputy for the past 12 months.
Councillor Josh Gilligan, who served as mayor in 2019-20, was elected the new deputy
mayor ahead of councillor Sahana Ramesh who also contested the position.
Both the new mayor and deputy mayor will serve for the final year of council’s four year term before elections are held in November 2024.
Cr Barrera, who was first elected to council in 2020 and represents the Chaffey ward,
said she was honoured to be elected to the position.
“I’m extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to lead
this wonderful city,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to working with the deputy mayor and my fellow councillors
over the next 12 months. The most important asset of this City is its people.
As mayor, I will lead in a purpose-driven way, making sure our decisions impact
positively on the people and residents of our wonderful city.”
Cr Barrera is the CEO of the Wyndham Community and Education Centre and is also chairperson of the Wyndham Humanitarian Network and has has lived in Werribee for the past 30 years, raising four children
in the area.
She has a Bachelor of Arts, a Masters of Language and Literacy, an
Advanced Diploma in Community Business Management and has also completed a
PhD in History.
In addressing council after her election, the new mayor said infrastructure and service delivery would be her main focus.
“Wyndham City is the fastest growing municipality in Australia. That means we have
enormous challenges providing the services and infrastructure that our residents
need,” Cr Barrera said.
“I will work tirelessly to advocate for more funding to enhance those services and the
infrastructure our residents need as your mayor over the next 12 months.”
Speaking for the last time as mayor, Cr McIntyre told the meeting it had been an “an absolute honour and a privilege” to serve in the role and thanked her successor and former deputy, Cr Barrera, for her support, along with fellow councillors and council staff.
She also thanked the Wyndham community, saying they were the reason she sought to become mayor in the first place.
Finally, Cr McIntyre thanked her husband and two daughters for their support and said they’d now see a lot more of her.
“I’ll reintroduce myself when I get home later.”
