Dolly Jensen voted deputy mayor of Gympie council 2024

Experienced councillor Dolly Jensen has been anointed deputy Gympie mayor for at least the first year of the new-look council, as the group gathered to be sworn in at Town Hall and provided a glimpse of the four years ahead.

Gympie’s new council was sworn in at Town Hall on Thursday, April 11, and the gathering was a possible preview of what is to come: four new faces, policy shake-ups and a bit of tension.

Division 2 councillor Dolly Jensen was anointed Deputy Mayor, but the position will henceforth be voted on every 12 months, the new council revealed.

After coming off the back of a relatively experienced council, re-elected Mayor Glen Hartwig said he was “very excited” to work with the four new councillors: Allona Lahn, Warren McEwan, Gordon Maudsley and Shane Warnes.

“Every councillor brings something to the table,” he said.

Mr Hartwig is now the most tenured council member.

Re-elected Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig and his new Deputy Mayor Dolly Jensen at the swearing in of the new Gympie Regional Council at Town Hall on Thursday, April 11, 2024.

He said the new council was a “good balance between experience and youthful exuberance” and said with CEO Robert Jennings at the helm now was a good time for councillors to come in with little experience, “without having a baptism of fire” like others had in the past.

“They might be inexperienced in local government but I think they bring a wealth of life experience and character to their role,” Mr Hartwig said.

Both Dolly Jensen and Warren Polly made a case for why they felt they would best serve as deputy mayor.

Ms Jensen kept it short, but Mr Polley’s speech was noticeably longer.

Mr Polley said that he and Ms Jensen would go about being deputy mayor in different ways.

He said Ms Jensen was more personable, more “adept at kissing babies” and got involved at markets as posted on her Facebook.

He said his strength could be seen through his achievements.

“I’m not here to beat down the door for this role, but if the door opens, I’m walking through it,” he said.

After a tight vote, Ms Jensen was voted deputy mayor.

Mr Hartwig said he thought both nominated councillors would perform well in the role.

“It’s great to see her recognised for her skills and abilities,” he said of Ms Jensen.

Gympie’s new council was sworn in at Town Hall on Thursday, April 11, and the gathering was a possible preview of what is to come: four new faces, policy shake-ups and a bit of tension.

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The council went back and forth discussing the merits of one, two and four-year deputy mayor terms.

Cooloola Coast councillor Jess Milne advocated for the shortest period, as she said it would allow new councillors to make an informed decision.

Cooloola Coast councillor Jess Milne, pictured, advocated for the shortest period, as she said it would allow new councillors to make an informed decision.

After fierce debate, they decided that the deputy mayor would be appointed for 12 months.

The council discussed shaking up the current portfolio policy, which had been in place for several years.

Mr Hartwig described the portfolio policy as “cumbersome”.

He said he did not know “if it achieves an outcome equal to the amount of work needed to facilitate it”.

“Why rush into something that we had issues with last term?”

Councillor Mick Curran seconded the motion, and said a review of the portfolio policy was part of the council’s continuous improvement.

Councillor Mick Curran said a review of the portfolio policy was part of the council’s continuous improvement.

Ms Milne said she thought the review was the “cumbersome” part.

Some tension between Ms Milne and Mr Hartwig was noticeable.

Ms Milne asked far more questions than other councillors, and the mayor responded sharply to the disruption.

Originally published as Dolly Jensen voted deputy mayor of Gympie council 2024