Karen Egan elected Nillumbik Shire Mayor tonight

Nillumbik Shire Council tonight (31 October) has a new Mayor after rural Councillor Karen Egan was elected Mayor at tonight’s  Nillumbik Shire Council meeting.

Egan was elected Mayor following two years as Deputy Mayor to outgoing Mayor  Peter Clarke.

Swipers Gully Ward Councillor Bruce Ranken was elected as the new Deputy Mayor.

Councillor Egan said she would continue to lead a council with a strong focus on responsible financial stewardship, a low rating strategy and put the spotlight back onto rural parts of the Shire.

“I’m very proud of what this team has achieved over the last two years and we owe a lot to the guidance and leadership of the outgoing Mayor Cr Peter Clarke,” Cr Egan said.

“We have achieved so much in our short time on Council, but the job is far from over.

“When we were first elected, we set ourselves an ambitious Council Plan that outlined our goals and aspirations for our four-year term. In the next 12-months I will particularly focus on the issues affecting our rural townships as well as driving jobs, economic development and tourism to our amazing Shire.”

Outgoing Mayor Peter Clarke said he was honoured to serve the community as Mayor over the last two years.

“I was elected on a platform of putting a stop to rates rises and we did just that. We were the only council in 2017/2018 to have a zero rate rise, we have paid down Council’s debt considerably and I decided I would not accept the mayoral car to help reduce costs,” Clarke said.

“I look forward to working with Mayor Egan and her continued determination to drive our visitor economy, enhance our unique standing in the arts and ensure our rural areas of the Shire are front and centre.”

Egan said she would also relinquish the right to a mayoral car to help keep costs down.

New Deputy Mayor Cr Bruce Ranken said he would continue to focus on Council’s infrastructure agenda with the refurbishment and construction of much needed social infrastructure.

“We have a lot of projects in progress and we look forward to working with members of our community to deliver them,” Ranken said.