Cr Simon Murray was returned as Mayor when the Armidale Regional Council held Extraordinary Meeting Wednesday afternoon.
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There were only two things on the meeting's agenda; the election of the Mayor and the deputy Mayor and Once it got rolling it all happened very quickly, in less than five minutes.
Cr Dorothy Robinson started the ball rolling when she moved the voting be done with a show of hands, rather than by the usual secret ballot and her resolution passed.
Council CEO Susan Law chaired the meeting and called for nominations for the position of mayor, saying she already had nominations from Cr Simon Murray and Cr Ian Tiley.
There were no more. Mrs Law called for a show of hands for Cr Murray, who drew a majority of six votes, Cr Tiley then received the remaining five.
In the run up for the deputy Mayor's vote, Crs Libby Martin, Peter Bailey and Margaret O'Connor all nominated, but Cr O'Connor withdrew just prior to the show of hands.
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Cr Martin received eight votes against Cr Bailey's three to be elected as the new deputy Mayor. She replaced Cr Dorothy Robinson who held the role for the last two years.
Cr Tiley was understandably slightly disappointed.
"What can I say? Democracy has prevailed, Simon's mayor again. That's all I have to say really," he said.
He confirmed he would be running for council again next September.
"I should say I have permanent accommodation here now. I love this place. I have been coming here to university since 1997," he said.
Cr Murray said he was looking forward to progressing all the projects council had lined up.
"We have a challenging year ahead with the drought, a big fire season, so potentially a really challenging year ahead. Libby will be a great deputy," he said.
Cr Martin was confident she could fill her new roll.
"You know, I don't think my roll will change that much, but i am looking forward to learning a lot because I have got a lot to learn," she said.
"It is a step upwards for me, but in the end we are still 11 councillors working for the same thing in the end."