The moment of truth for Mayor Steve Toms and Deputy Mayor Carol Sparks comes at six o’clock on Thursday evening at the library on Grey Street.
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That’s when this month’s council meeting is scheduled to start, with the election of mayor near the top of the agenda.
At the time of writing, there were no plans to hold the meeting in a bigger room. There are about thirty seats for the public.
The council did put out a notice inviting people, and offered refreshment.
Thursday’s meeting will be opened by the current mayor, Steve Toms. He will do the usual formalities – the Welcome to Country, introducing a minister to say a prayer, taking apologies for absence, disclosure of conflicts of interest, passing the minutes of the previous meeting as accurate.
An outside speaker may be given time before the meeting.
After the usual formalities, the business is handed over to the General Manager, Hein Basson, to conduct the election of the mayor.
It can either be by show of hands or secret ballot. The council must decide but it has always been secret in the past.
The votes are counted quickly – there are only seven – and the new mayor then takes over.
There will then be a discussion of remuneration to the mayor and deputy. Under the current arrangement, the mayor gets $32,564 and the deputy $17,036 a year, both including $11,860 which every councillor gets. This arrangement can be changed.
There is then an election for Deputy Mayor. Steve Toms has made it known that he will be standing for mayor. Jeff Smith may stand for deputy mayor.
Carol Sparks and Dianne Newman are keeping silent but it would be surprising if they didn’t put their hands up.
The elected mayor will chair the rest of the meeting which includes important business like where to put the discarded wind blade.
The choice has been narrowed to two – the Visitors’ Information Centre car park or the race-course, next to the Gwydir highway.
The recommendation to the council is to go for the race-course, but given the twists and turns of the blade’s route, first to Veness Park and then not to Veness park, the final destination can’t be predicted with certainty.
Next Thursday, there is to be the Mayoral Luncheon, hosted by the victor at the Services Club. Attendees pay for themselves and the profits are given to a charity of the mayor’s choice.
Steve Toms gave to the RSPCA and the Deepwater School of Arts last year.
