New South Gippsland Shire Council mayor John Schelling will be supported by deputy mayor Sarah Gilligan, the pair excited about the opportunities and challenges ahead and confident they will work well together despite their often differing world views.
Cr Schelling decided the time was right to throw his hat in the ring, the guidance provided by experienced councillor Mohya Davies, who served as mayor during the first year of John’s initial term as a councillor, inspiring him to do so.
As he prepared to settle in the mayor’s chair, he thanked his fellow councillors for their support.
“It’s something I said a couple of years ago I’d never do but felt the time was right to have a crack at it before I get too old and feeble to carry out the role,” he told those in the impressively full gallery and watching online, drawing laughter.
Cr Schelling explained to the Sentinel-Times, he has always had a knack for knowing when it is time to put his hand up for leadership roles, having been president and secretary of various organisations.
He looks forward to being part of the current councillor group and building on the achievements of the last, and showed emotion when thanking his family members for their support.
Cr Schelling also thanked his employer for enabling him to take on the role of mayor for 12 months.
While he identified rate capping and cost shifting as challenges, he highlighted the “huge amount of industry coming our way” due to future renewable energy projects as a positive, noting council needs to prepare for that by working with government agencies and the local community to capitalise on opportunities.
“I look forward to a strong and united South Gippsland Shire,” Cr Schelling declared, confident in the councillor group’s ability to work productively for the community.
While he was elected unopposed, there was good-natured competition for the deputy mayor position, with Cr Gilligan and Cr Scott Rae both nominated and having to outline their cases for election.
Cr Gilligan prevailed narrowly, with five votes to four, having declared that “If elected, I look forward to being part of a leadership team that bucks current trends of division and partisan politics.”
“Despite our different world views, John and I both know at the core, a high functioning council is a fragile thing that needs to be handled with respect and care.”
Cr Gilligan added that she and Cr Schelling have developed a solid working relationship over the past three years, resolving their differences quickly and respectfully, stressing they agree difference of opinion is healthy and mudslinging is not.
She noted the team of mayor and deputy mayor set the tone in achieving a high functioning council, and like Cr Schelling expressed her appreciation of family support, also becoming emotional.
Afterwards, Cr Schelling expressed confidence in his working relationship with Cr Gilligan and noted they have much in common, including the importance they place on the need to safeguard South Gippsland Shire’s agricultural land.
The new councillor group will be in the spotlight on Wednesday November 27 with Cr Schelling hoping there is another healthy turnout in the public gallery when the council meeting gets underway at 2pm.
