Borough elects new mayor, deputy mayor

FIRST-TERM councillor Di Rule has been named the Borough of Queenscliffe’s new mayor.

Cr Rule was voted in by her fellow councillors during tonight’s (Monday, November 25) special council meeting, held at the Queenscliff Town Hall, for a term of one year.

She succeeds former councillor Ross Ebbels, who served four terms as mayor during his eight-year tenure on the council. He was unsuccessful in seeking re-election last month.

Fellow first-term councillor Brendan Monahan was elected as deputy mayor for a one-year term during tonight’s meeting.

Speaking during the meeting, Cr Rule thanked the council for the opportunity to serve as mayor in the community that she loves and that her family has lived within for generations.

She spoke of how the community wrapped its arms around her mother when she was widowed at the age of 35, helping to ensure the coastal township remained a “haven” to grow up in, and her desire to protect and maintain the borough into the future.

“The borough is small, and our biggest challenge is to remain relevant and independent, not overtaken by any neighbouring councils,” she said.

“The borough also only raises limited funds each year, so we need to make sure every dollar is spent carefully and doing what matters, on the delivery of services that improve our lives, on the management of our coastal and marine areas.

“To do that, we need tight governance and efficient administration, transparent budgeting, streamlined systems, completion of quality projects on time and within budget, and we need to fund more capital works by trimming costs and thinking outside the square to raise revenue.”

But, she said, the council could not achieve that by themselves.

“We need this wonderful community to once again embrace us, support us and tell us what they want,” Cr Rule said.

“Only through this extensive community engagement can we, as a council, make informed decisions and make our twin towns an even more brilliant place to be.

“I look forward to the task ahead.”

The first regular meeting of the new council will be held this Wednesday, November 27.