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Cr Vanessa Ekins elected as Lismore’s new Mayor
Councillor Vanessa Ekins was elected as Lismore’s new Mayor at last night’s Lismore City Council meeting. Councillor Neil Marks remains as Deputy Mayor.
“I thank my fellow Councillors for their trust and will take the role of Mayor seriously,” she said.
Councillors voted for a new Mayor at last night’s Ordinary Council Meeting after the retirement of former Mayor Isaac Smith. Cr Ekins will hold the role until the COVID-delayed Council elections this September when a new Mayor will be popularly elected for the next three-year term of Council.
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Subscriber only A former councillor and wearer of the mayor robes has praised an outgoing Northern Rivers man for his dedication to the job during flood, bushfires, drought and the pandemic. On Sunday January 31, 2021, former Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell posed a tribute to Cr Isaac Smith. Today our Mayor Isaac Smith leaves office, she said. Thank you Isaac for giving more than 12 years service to the Lismore community as a Councillor, including more than four years as Mayor. I appreciated working with you for eight of those years witnessing first hand your love of Lismore, your commitment and your high ethical standards.
One of Australia's top musical directors and conductors, George Ellis, will replace Doug Hawkins as Lismore's 2021 Australia Day Ambassador at tomorrow's.
And don t get carried away by the small pockets of negativity because they will always attack people who get things done. Cr Smith said the mayor will also need to be prepared to work with a wide range of people to achieve results. At Lismore there is a core group of councillors who want to work with the community to make things better, he said. They are the ones who can communicate and compromise as they understand that sometimes the perfect (decision) is the enemy of the good. Cr Smith said he s looking forward to down time over the festive season.
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UPDATE 8:40AM:Â Lismore City Council has issued a formal comment regarding Mayor Isaac Smith s announcement of his retirement after more than 12 years serving on Lismore City Council. Cr Smith said he was leaving to focus on his career within the non-government sector. His retirement from Lismore City Council will be effective from 1 February 2021. Just prior to COVID-19, I was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of a local NGO, which is a very time-consuming and demanding role. I accepted the position as I had planned to retire at the now postponed local government elections in mid-2020, he said.