NEWLY installed Mayor Irene Grant will pose a figure of stability as council lifts its focus on the core services of council in a tough economic climate.
The experienced mayor was elected 4-3 at Tuesday night's special meeting after eventual Deputy Mayor Harvey Benton put forward her nomination.
Fellow councillors Benton, Ashlee Fitzpatrick, and Tania Maxwell voted for Cr Grant as mayor with Crs Harry Bussell and Allison Winters backing a self-nominated Dave Fuller who was in opposition for the top job.
Both were elected for a one year term.
Cr Grant served as councillor in the previous term and also as an administrator between 2013 and 2016 and her outlook will be more of the same by focusing on the basics of council.
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However, she did highlight her interest to see some stages of the proposed $20 million Wangaratta Creative Precinct art gallery development funded by government.
Feedback from the community was heightened during the election period and Cr Grant said a strong focus on the core services will shine through over the next four years.
"The feedback that I get is that people want us to focus on the business of council and we're here to provide services; the library, sports and aquatic centre, and sporting fields," she said.
"They want to see roads without potholes, the parks and gardens looking good and yet in all of that we have to look strategically in how council works to mitigate climate change and things we need to do to make our community a safe and better place.
"If people are critical about what council does or doesn't do it's usually around roads, rates and rubbish."
In the coming year Cr Grant said main things on the agenda include the rating strategy, the 10-year financial plan, and the community plan, which every new council undertakes.
"I'm really excited about the prospect of our performing arts complex and I'm hoping we're lucky enough to get funding to kickstart that project," she said.
"Right now, it doesn't look all that likely but we're looking to stage some of that and get it off the ground and build a facility that's going to make a difference to Wangaratta."
Since filling the position of administrator 11 years ago, Cr Grant highlighted the multimillion-dollar WSAC facility as the jewel in the crown of infrastructure achievements.
She has strongly advocated for Glenrowan, even back when she was mayor in the early 2000s, and she said the new Ned Kelly Discovery Hub has now put a focus on the town and made it a better tourist destination.
The work required between council and North East Water to advance housing development in the growth corridors has also been an achievement over the last decade.
"There are things that have really changed since I was an administrator, but what we've been able to do is maintain Wangaratta's regional feel," she said.
As Wangaratta's population hovers around 30,000 people, Cr Grant envisages that the population will continue to grow but not in huge leaps and bounds over the next 5-10 years.
"We're aiming to keep Wangaratta as a regional hub and I think that's one of the great focuses," she said.
Cr Grant was excited about her election and her thoughts were that the hallmark of a good council was having age and gender diversity around the table.
"There are people coming from different backgrounds and if we focus on the work that we've got to do I think we'll be a successful and hardworking council," she said.
"The previous council was a very good one and I'm looking forward to making sure we get the same sort of outcomes with this new one."
Deputy Mayor Benton said the roads strategy and the completion of Wareena Park were high on his list.
"It's going to be a battle to do all of these works because the government doesn’t have funds, but Wareena Park's ground and sports facility upgrade is something I would like to see," he said.
"Funds are going to be tight but we need to make sure we have designs up and ready to go because sometimes grants pop up out of nowhere, for example as they did for the Whorouly netball court project."
He said Cr Grant's selection of mayor will offer stability as she will be able to manage a lot of the initial housekeeping tasks such as the strategy and planning involved with setting up new councils.
