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NEW COUNCIL - Back: Councillors Soto Stuppos, David Knox, Rick Santucci, Joanne Marshall, Irene Adair. Front: Councillors Bill Simpson, Tamy Pond, Mayor Clare McLaughlin, Councillors Zia Westerman and Phill Stone.
City of Whyalla CEO Chris Cowley has welcomed the newly-elected mayor and councillors on board as Whyalla heads into an exciting new stage in the city’s history.
Clare McLaughlin was tonight sworn in as the City of Whyalla’s ninth mayor along with nine elected members/councillors. Mayor McLaughlin was a councillor and deputy mayor on the previous council while David Knox and Rick Santucci are returning councillors.
Whyalla has seven new councillors in Tamy Pond, Zia Westerman, Joanne Marshall, Soto Stuppos, Irene Adair, Phill Stone and Bill Simpson. Ms Marshall is a former councillor and deputy mayor.
"We have been delivered an exciting new Council made of up a good cross-section of our community and great diversity when it comes to skills, knowledge, background and experiences" - CEO Chris Cowley
All positions were decided in the statewide council elections conducted by the Electoral Commission of South Australia.
Mr Cowley said the newly-elected Council contained a good spread of community representation, business expertise and individuals with a close connection to community.
“As happens with elections, we have been delivered an exciting new Council made of up a good cross-section of our community and great diversity when it comes to skills, knowledge, background and experiences,” he said.
“With many exciting things happening in our town with our City Transformation Plan, I look forward to working with these elected members to take this great city another giant step forward.”
Mayor McLaughlin said she was honoured to be chosen to lead the city and paid tribute to former mayors and councillors no longer on council.
“I feel very privileged to be chosen as the new mayor and won’t be taking it for granted,” Mayor McLaughlin said.
“It is a really exciting time in Whyalla’s history and I’m looking forward to going ahead in a positive way with a range of projects, initiatives, new business and developments that are going to better our city.
“We’ve got a fantastic selection of councillors to build on the great work the late Mayor Jim Pollock, Mayor Lyn Breuer, acting mayor Tom Antonio and all the councillors have done over the past four years.”
"It is a really exciting time in Whyalla’s history and I’m looking forward to going ahead in a positive way" - Mayor Clare McLaughlin
Mayor McLaughlin said the new City Transformation blueprint would be a key for her as mayor as she pledged to continue building towards a big future for the city.
“We’ve got no time to waste and a busy time ahead,” Mayor McLaughlin said.
“My first priority will be meeting with key stakeholders, which includes the community at large, and working with a big focus on the City Transformation blueprint.
“This is an important document for what is shaping as an exciting next four years.
“I want to take everyone in Whyalla along for this ride.”