Coffs foreshores development plan irks new mayor Paul Amos

New Coffs mayor Paul Amos says the council has to “draw a line in the sand for the community” on a highly controversial project.

Paul Amos has identified two pressing challenges for the new Coffs Harbour City Council.

Scope for a highly controversial development on the foreshores of Coffs Harbour will be the first big ask of the city’s newly minted mayor Paul Amos.

Mr Amos, affectionately known as “Moose”, was confirmed as winner of the mayoralty vote on Monday morning after the final distribution of preferences.

He tallied 62.21 per cent of the vote – with the next highest being Rodger Pryce on 37.79 per cent.

“I only found out (the result) at about half-past nine this morning,” Mr Amos said.

“It all came down to the postal votes where the cut-off for them was on Friday.”

As a councillor of five years’ standing, including a recent spell as deputy mayor, he said the next leadership would face challenges more so than opportunities.

He said the first issue would be the possibility for a game-changing and contentious multi-storeyed development at the city’s jewel location near the iconic jetty precinct.

A draft from a steering committee, if endorsed after consultation, would open the way for up to 260 full-time residential and 60 tourist accommodation units on the State Government land east of the rail line.

“And that’s hot off the press,” Mr Amos said.

Another stickler for the new council will be a draft proposal to reduce the current foreshore carparking capacity.

“It’s not in the best interests of the community,” Mr Amos said.

“That will be the first thing I will be addressing.

“We have to draw a line in the sand for the community.”

Mr Amos will lead the next council over a Covid-condensed term of three instead of the usual four years.

Another challenge he underlined was the Coffs tip, which is quickly running out of capacity.

“We have to find a solution for the tip ... an alternative vision,” he said.

Mr Amos has been long and happily tethered to the city of Coffs.

“I’ve lived here all my life,” the 61-year-old noted, bar a brief spell away for tertiary education to study marketing and economics.

He has been managing and running business in Coffs for more than 30 years, and has two children and two granddaughters.

While the election for councillors hasn’t been finalised, Mr Amos is hopeful two of his “running mates” – in Scot Wolgamot and Julie Sechi – will get across the line.

And he echoed the plea of outgoing Coffs Harbour mayor Denise Knight in the need for respectful debate in and out of chambers.

“You’ve got to play the ball and not the man,” Mr Amos said.

The new mayor also has a strategy to help manage the oft onerous weight of 24/7 office.

“Surround yourself with very good people and give them responsibility,” he said.