PEACE, love and mutual admiration was in the air at last Monday evening’s first public outing for Frankston Council’s newly elected nine councillors in a stark contrast to two previous years of bitter infighting between councillors.
The nine attended a public statutory meeting last Monday evening (7 November) to be sworn in as councillors and vote for a new mayor and deputy mayor to lead council for the first 12 months of a new four-year council term.
Councillors unanimously backed re-elected Cr Brian Cunial at the public meeting to be mayor and all pledged to put past grievances aside for the greater good of Frankston.
They congratulated each other for being voted in by Frankston ratepayers and promised to treat each other with respect even if there are occasional disagreements about policy during debates.
Councillors met the Wednesday (2 November) before the public meeting to discuss who should be mayor.
Former Kingston mayor Topsy Petchey was hired to facilitate that meeting.
“Frankston Council engaged the professional services of Topsy Petchey to provide independent strategic advice and facilitation of a discussion about the roles of mayor and deputy mayor and the election process,” Cr Cunial said.
“To date council has not received an invoice as Ms Petchey is currently overseas.”
Ms Petchey was paid about $1500 to facilitate a similar meeting before the election of Sandra Mayer as mayor in 2014.
Family, friends and well-wishers – including former mayor James Dooley who was not re-elected at the 22 October council elections – watched from the public gallery in a packed council chamber as councillors were sworn in and Cr Cunial donned the mayoral chain and robes.
The new mayor said he is “honoured” councillors had faith in him to lead council over the next 12 months.
“Having lived in Frankston all my life, I care deeply about our community and its future wellbeing as a desired place to live, work and study,” Cr Cunial said.
Cr Cunial noted councillors needed to unite for the greater good of Frankston and should put political differences aside to ensure the region gets the best deal possible from state and federal governments since elections for both levels of government will be held during the new council term.
“There is much to be done and success will only be achieved if we work together.”
Council CEO Dennis Hovenden passed on “congratulations from all council staff” to Cr Cunial on his election as mayor for the second time. He was previously mayor in 2012.
“You’re always willing to ask the hard questions and challenge the staff and so it should be and you do it always in the best interests of the community,” Mr Hovenden said at last Monday’s meeting.
Cr Cunial, a serving Victoria Police officer for more than 30 years, was first elected to council in 2008 and is married to wife Diana. They have three adult children and two grandchildren.
Fellow councillors nodded – and in Cr Colin Hampton’s case, blew kisses – to supportive husbands, wives, partners and family members in the public gallery when making speeches after being sworn in.
Cr Lillian O’Connor thanked her partner Michelle for her support during the council elections campaign.
Cr Kris Bolam praised his father Darren for delivering 12,000 pamphlets during the run-up to polling day.
“My father had a workplace accident many years ago. He broke both his legs, both his arms, he was a mess. But he managed to get around the ward and deliver those pamphlets.”
Councillors unanimously voted for Cr Steve Toms to be deputy mayor.
While there is no extra remuneration involved in being deputy mayor, the incumbent can be called upon to chair public council meetings and speak at events in the mayor’s absence.
“I sit here as a proudly openly gay man and proud resident of Frankston,” Cr Toms said in his acceptance speech after taking the oath of office as a councillor.
Councillors rubber stamped their remuneration at the meeting for the upcoming 12 months agreeing they be paid $28,907 each plus 9.5 per cent superannuation.
The mayor will be paid $92,333 over 12 months.
All nine of Frankston’s 2012-16 councillors, representing three regional wards, stood for re-election last month. Five were re-elected alongside four new councillors.
North-East ward councillors are Sandra Mayer (re-elected), Michael O’Reilly (re-elected) and Colin Hampton (re-elected).
North-West ward councillors are Kris Bolam, Lillian O’Connor and Glenn Aitken (re-elected).
South ward councillors are Brian Cunial (re-elected), Quinn McCormack and Steve Toms.
Cr Cunial’s election as mayor last week was the first time in three years councillors were publicly unanimous in their choice of councillor.
Split public votes to elect Sandra Mayer (2014) and James Dooley (2015) as mayor were the precursor to infighting between councillors during those mayoral terms.
