NEW MAYOR’S HONEYMOON OVER IN MINUTES

By Tim Howard

It is doubtful a new Clarence Valley mayor had a shorter honeymoon than Cr Peter Johnstone after winning the support of a majority of his fellow councillors at the latest council meeting.

Just minutes after his election as mayor at the September 26 meeting, Cr Johnstone’s personally penned motion, moved by Cr Bill Day, to refuse the tender for the Regional Aquatic Centre was ruthlessly shredded and ditched in some of the most ferocious debating seen at a council meeting.

A packed gallery of around 40 people, almost all backing the recommendation to approve the tender, poured fuel on the fire.

The crowd heckled or cheered speakers, forcing the new mayor to warn them several times to be quiet or staff would remove them.

In addition he had to rule on a flurry of points of order from harried speakers and was eventually asked to call a short adjournment.

Councillors returned after the adjournment, voted down the alternative motion, then approved a foreshadowed motion from Cr Steve Pickering, backing the staff recommendation to approve the tender.

During debate on this motion, Cr Johnstone said he would support the new motion because it had become the majority view of the council. It was approved 7-2 with Crs Greg Clancy and Bill Day opposed.

Despite the baptism of fire Cr Johnstone, said he felt both honoured and humbled to be voted in as mayor.

“I really wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, or doing anything else at the