Tweed Mayor Katie Milne saw off Councillors Warren Polglase and James Owen also nominated for the position of Mayor in yesterdays vote for the position of Tweed Shire Council mayor. Councillor Milne has been returned as Mayor for another two years.
Councillor Owen was excluded after the first round and a vote was then held for the Mayoral position between Councillor Milne and Councillor Polglase.
Councillor Milne received four votes – from Councillors Chris Cherry, Ron Cooper, Reece Byrnes and herself. Councillor Polglase received three votes – from Councillors Pryce Allsop, James Owen and himself.
Councillor Milne has been returned as Mayor for another two years. This will be her third term as Mayor, after holding the position from September 2015 to September 2016 in the previous Council and for the last two years in the current Council. She was first elected to Tweed Shire Council in 2008 and is a member of The Greens Party.
Councillor Chris Cherry (independent) was elected unopposed to the position of Deputy Mayor, there being no other nominees.
Councillor Cherry will be in the position until September 2019, a one-year term. She was also Deputy Mayor from September 2016 to September 2017.
‘I also acknowledge the harmonious working relationship Councillors have had over the last two years,’ Councillor Milne said. Following the vote, Councillor Milne thanked her fellow Councillors, Council staff and the Tweed community for their support.
‘The community and Council are still recovering from the devastating impacts of the extreme weather event of ex Cyclone Debbie and the loss of six beautiful lives.
‘While the community were heroic in rising to this challenge, there is no doubt that further events like this will greatly test our capacity for resilience.
‘In light of scientific warnings that if global warming is limited to between 1.5 and 2 degrees by 2100 that emissions must peak before 2020, and then rapidly decline, we must all make this the focus of efforts at this point in our history.
‘It is our primary responsibility to keep the community safe and we must be united in this. This cannot be just ‘a green agenda’, we cannot do this alone.
‘All levels of government, the community and media must rise to this challenge that is upon us right now, and play our utmost part in ensuring the wonderful sustainable future, that we know we can achieve if we all pull together on this,” she said.
The previous Mayor, Councillor Reece Byrnes (Labor Party), did not nominate for the position.
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