On November 20, the newly elected Baw Baw Shire Council unanimously appointed Cr. Danny Goss as mayor.
The council agreed that Mayor Goss would serve for 12 months before another election takes place next November.
Cr Goss was first elected to Council in 2016, and has previously served as Mayor from 2019 to 2021.
“I want to thank my colleagues here today for their support and generosity in nominating me for this job,” said Mayor Goss.
“I know a lot is expected and I know how to do the job,” he said.
The Mayor thanked and acknowledged his family, councillor officers, and councillors past and present.
“I thank my fellow councillors for trusting me, none of them have worked with me before, apart from Cr Jones, and they are still getting to know me,” he said.
Long-standing member of the council, Cr Tricia Jones, was appointed Deputy Mayor. First elected in 2008, she is entering her seventeenth consecutive year on council.
“Thank you to the councillor group for this opportunity to serve as Deputy Mayor,” she said.
“It’s an exciting time for the shire, with six fresh councillors who are passionate, excited, and we are on the ground floor to shape Baw Baw,” she said.
“Each councillor has a unique but shared vision to make Baw Baw a standout council,” she said.
The nine councillors will commence a four-year term as members of the Baw Baw Shire Council. Over 37,000 locals voted in the elections held in October and the results were finalised on November 7, following counting of all preferential votes.
Only two of these councillors, Cr Tricia Jones (West Ward) and Cr Danny Goss (Central Ward) have retained their seat from the previous term.
Former mayor, Annemarie McCabe, as well as East Ward members Michael Leaney and Darren Wallace, are notable absentees from the current lineup, all having failed to secure a seat.
“It is clearly what the community wanted… we saw that in the elections… all councillors should be pleased with the vote they received,” the Mayor said.
The East Ward was a close contest. More than 12,800 votes were cast. Approximately 600 first- preference votes separated the top five candidates. Ultimately, Adam Sheehan, Brendan Kingwill and Kate Wilson were successful in their candidacy, each gaining more than 16% of the total first preference vote cast.
In the Central Ward Paul Pratt and Suzanne Allen were successful. Allen said that she was “deeply humbled and grateful to have been elected as a Councillor.”
“Over the next four years, I look forward to working alongside a dynamic and passionate group of councillors who are all committed to making a positive difference for our community,” she said.
“I also feel the responsibility of ensuring that Baw Baw grows in a positive direction whilst meeting the needs of the community,” she said.
In the West Ward, Ben Lucas, who resigned from his seat in the Council in 2021 following drink-driving charges, received over 45% of the first preference votes to rejoin the council. Jess Hamilton was also appointed.
Mayor Cr Danny Goss said he sees himself as the “first among equals and certainly not the boss.”
He promised to mentor his fellow councillors and mediate a safe workplace.
The Mayor said that he was “very optimistic” of the elected council group.
“I say to the public, we will do this job to the best of our ability, and we will be open and transparent right across the board,” he said.
The mayor acknowledged that the group would “no doubt have challenges” but ensured that the councillors would react and respond to any issues respectfully.
“I think our community will be pleased with the progress this council makes,” he said.
“With the ongoing support of our CEO and the officers, I believe we will get some great things over the line in the next four years,” Deputy Mayor Tricia Jones said.
In addition to this election, the Council CEO, Mark Dupe, announced that he will resign at the end of this year. Mr Dupe said it had been an honour to lead the organisation, and thanked the staff and the wider community for their continued support. An interim Chief Executive Officer will be appointed in the near future.
With the Baw Baw Shire Council set, the elected councillors will begin their work as they serve their community.
All nine Councillors are currently participating in a mandatory and extensive induction program in accordance with the Local Government Act 2020.
In addition to this induction program, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will participate in additional mandatory training designed to help them fulfil their roles as leaders of the Council.
“We are expected to be community leaders, and we will be,” the mayor said.
