Kevin Greene will be the first mayor of the new Georges River Council after Con Hindi refused his nomination.
It was a harmonious start for the newly amalgamated council who met for the first time on Monday night.
Family and friends watched on as the 15 new councillors swore an oath at the opening of the meeting ahead of the vote for the new mayor and deputy mayor.
There were only two nominations for the mayoral position- Labor’s Kevin Greene and Liberal Con Hindi.
However, Councillor Hindi refused his nomination and instead urged all councillors to throw their support behind Councillor Greene.
“Georges River is about to embark on a new journey as its first democratically elected council,’’ he said
“Not many cities have the opportunity to embrace a fresh start. Georges River Council will need a strong and united team of councillors working together over the next three years to achieve its full potential for the community.
“We are at a significant juncture in the history of the council and as such a significant gesture needs to be made- I’m happy to make that gesture.
“It’s important that each councillor here tonight put their full support behind Councillor Greene to lead this council.’’
Councillor Greene thanked the councillors for their unanimous support.
“I would like to thank the councillors for their support in election me to the esteemed position of mayor. I sincerely thank each and every one of you for your support. I look forward to working together,’’ he said.
He reflected on his first time in the building as a Year Two student taking part in a ball at Marana Hall.
“The reason I reflect on that is because the local government area provides so many diverse services to our community. Whether it’s facilities such as that or whether it's the library that sits behind us,’’ he said.
“Whether it's all the other diverse services that mean so much to ensure the good life of each person in our community. We have been duly elected and are now responsible for ensuring those services are maintained.
‘’Most importantly we have a responsibility to our community to ensure the good name of the area in which they live and that is in itself a major responsibility.’’
Fellow Labor Councillor Kathryn Landsberry was elected as Deputy Mayor.
