Alice Springs Town Council to select new deputy mayor, with Jacinta Price the frontrunner
ALICE Springs Town Council will appoint an elected member to be the new deputy mayor at a meeting on Tuesday, with councillor Jacinta Price the frontrunner for the position.
Centralian Advocate
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ALICE Springs Council deputy mayor Matt Paterson will not contest his role at a meeting on Tuesday night, with councillor Jacinta Price the frontrunner for the position.
Cr Paterson told the Centralian Advocate he would not put his hat in the ring for a third year as deputy mayor.
He said he had enjoyed the experience of serving as deputy mayor but “two years was enough”.
“The two years has been good as deputy mayor, working with the mayor but we’ve got three strong women on council so hopefully one of those ladies will get nominated and elected,” Cr Paterson said.
Cr Jamie de Brenni, who had a short stint as mayor while Damien Ryan contested the recent Territory election, said he would nominate Cr Price for deputy mayor.
“Cr Price has been around the same amount of time that I have,” Cr de Brenni said. “For the dynamics it would be great for Jacinta to take the position.
“She’d do a great job.”
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Cr Price said she “looked forward to the possibility of being nominated and elected … and working hard for the final term of council”.
The new deputy mayor will not be appointed until the next local government election scheduled for August 2021.
Cr Jimmy Cocking, who served as deputy mayor while Cr Paterson was mayor, said he thought he had done a good job.
“I’d be happy to put my hand up but I’m pretty confident I don’t have the numbers,” Cr Cocking said.
During the meeting the council will also appoint elected members to council committees and as representatives of council on external committees for the remainder of the 13th council’s term.
The term of office for all appointments made at Tuesday’s meeting is 12 months, however, with 2021 being a local government election year, new appointments will cease prior to the next general election.
The Centralian Advocate contacted all councillors ahead of the meeting.
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