Hilltops Council held an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday October 10 to welcome the new Councillors and to elect the Mayor for the next term.
The declaration of poll for the election was submitted and accepted during the meeting before the Councillors took and signed an oath or affirmation in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993.
Cr Brian Ingram, Cr Alison Foreman, Cr Jake Davis, Cr Joanne Mackay, Cr Fiona Douglas, Cr Tony Flanery, Cr Matthew Stadtmiller and Cr Michelle Gallo all took and signed the oath which said they will undertake the duties of the office of Councillor in the best interest of the people of Hilltops Local Government Area and the Hilltops Council and that they will faithfully and impartially carry out the functions, powers, authorities and discretions vested in them under the Local Government Act 1993 or any other Act to the best of their ability and judgement.
Cr James Blackwell, Cr Neil Langford and Cr Mary Dodd all affirmed and signed a statement that said they solemnly and sincerely declare and affirm that they will undertake the duties of the office of Councillor in the best interests of the people of Hilltops Local Government Area and the Hilltops Council and that they will faithfully and impartially carry out the functions, powers, authorities and discretions vested in them under the Local Government Act 1993 or any other Act to the best of their ability and judgement.
The next order of business was the nomination and election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
Nominees for Mayor were Cr Ingram, who was nominated by Cr Douglas and Cr Mackay, and Cr Foreman who was nominated by Cr Blackwell and Cr Dodd.
An ordinary ballot was taken with Cr Ingram receiving eight votes from Cr Davis, Cr Douglas, Cr Flanery, Cr Gallo, Cr Ingram, Cr Langford, Cr Mackay and Cr Stadtmiller, the three votes for Cr Foreman were Cr Blackwell, Cr Dodd and Cr Foreman.
The ballot resulted in the election of Cr Ingram as Mayor of Hilltops Council.
The nominees for Deputy Mayor were Cr Flanery, who was nominated by Cr Ingram and Cr Mackay, and Cr Dodd, who was nominated by Cr Blackwell and Cr Foreman.
An ordinary ballot took place with Cr Flanery receiving seven votes from Cr Davis, Cr Douglas, Cr Flanery, Cr Gallo, Cr Ingram, Cr Mackay and Cr Stadtmiller and four votes for Cr Dodd being Cr Blackwell, Cr Dodd, Cr Foreman and Cr Langford.
As a result Cr Flanery was elected as Deputy Mayor of Hilltops Council.
An amendment was put forward by Cr Blackwell that Council change the time of its ordinary meetings from 4.30pm to 2.30pm and investigate the cost of holding meetings semi-regularly in Harden and Boorowa with a report back to Council. The amendment was supported by Cr Foreman before it was put to a vote.
The amendment was voted down with Cr Foreman, Cr Mackay, Cr Blackwell, Cr Gallo and Cr Dodd voting for the changes and Cr Davis, Cr Douglas, Cr Flanery, Cr Ingram, Cr Langford and Cr Stadtmiller voting against it.
Cr Langford called for an amendment that meeting dates be changed from a Wednesday to a Tuesday, the amendment supported by Cr Ingram, however it was voted down as well with Cr Langford voting for the change and Cr Blackwell, Cr Davis, Cr Dodd, Cr Douglas, Cr Flanery, Cr Foreman, Cr Gallo, Cr Ingram, Cr Mackay and Cr Stadtmiller voting against it.
Councillors nominated and voted on election to the Goldenfields Water County Council board with Cr Mackay and Cr Langford elected, Cr Mackay was elected t the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee for the next term of Council.
During the meeting it was resolved that Mayor Ingram and Cr Stadtmiller will represent Council at the LGNSW 2024 Annual Conference with voting rights, and it was also resolved that a motion be put forward at the conference that Hilltops Council be allowed the collection by ratepayers and the community of fallen timber for firewood use from roadsides at nominated times.
Hilltops Council will next meeting for their monthly ordinary meeting on Wednesday October 23, 2024 at 4.30pm in the Young Town Hall chambers.