It’s the first time in Mitchell Shire’s history that women have been elected as both mayor and deputy mayor.
The two new leaders were elected at the statutory council meeting on Monday, November 14.
Councillor Fiona Stevens was elected mayor and Cr Louise Bannister was elected deputy mayor.
Cr Fiona Stevens thanked Cr Bill Chisholm and said she looked forward to working with the community.
“I am honoured to be able to serve the Mitchell Shire community as mayor for the next 12 months,” Ms Stevens said.
“Growth is continuing in our shire and it presents a significant challenge for council.
“We need to balance the needs our existing community while planning for the needs of our future population.”
Cr Stevens was raised and educated in Broadford.
She returned to the region to work and live in Seymour in 1981 and became involved in many community organisations.
She retired from the Seymour Police Station in 2013 after 36 years of service.
Cr Stevens enjoys identifying issues, researching and finding fair and appropriate outcomes to community concerns.
Cr Stevens said she looked forward to working closely with Cr Bannister over the next year.
“I’m delighted to have Louise as the deputy mayor,” Cr Stevens said.
“We bring different skills, experiences and perspectives, and I believe this will be a great combination."
Cr Bannister grew up on a farm near Seymour and has lived in Mitchell Shire for almost seven years with her partner, Patrick, and son, Hamish.
She graduated from the University of Melbourne, majoring in media and communications and has a Master of Applied Linguistics.
Cr Bannister values research and evidence-based approaches.
She believes that working closely with the community and advocating for infrastructure and services will be key to making Mitchell Shire the best place to live in Victoria.
Cr Chisholm did not seek re-election after serving his second term as mayor.
Cr Chisholm said it was a privilege and honour to serve as mayor. He thanked fellow councillors, staff and the community, particularly for their efforts during the flood emergency.
“There have been some extremely challenging times and I'm proud of how council has worked with the community to get through them,” he said.