MAYOR Graeme Hanger will put his hand up for another term in the city’s top job if he is re-elected to Bathurst Regional Council on September 9.
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Cr Hanger was only elevated to mayor in March following the resignation of his predecessor Gary Rush, but in five short months has come love the job and the unique perspective it gives him of the town he has called home for three decades now.
In taking the mayoral chains, Cr Hanger promised a more collaborative approach within council and he appears to have delivered on that pledge.
Now campaigning for his third council election, Cr Hanger has put together a ticket of five local people he says would all be excellent councillors. Having previously run as a solo candidate, he said the sheer number of above-the-line tickets expected on the ballot this year had forced his hand.
“I think everybody started talking about tickets and people got scared so everyone is running one,” Cr Hanger said.
“But it’s a good team of people here and they are all serious about getting onto council. That’s where we’re different to them.
“I hope to get five good candidates on to council. That’s realistic.”
Cr Hanger said the current term of council had achieved a lot in five years and he was committed to pushing ahead with some of the projects already on the drawing board.
They included a master plan for Centennial Park, a new “entrance statement” for the city beside the Great Western Highway and making Velocity Park a reality.
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Number two on the mayor’s ticket will be education consultant Vince Connor who has lived in Bathurst for almost 20 years.
He said he wanted the chance to put back into the community.
“I’ve been going to a few council meetings and I really like what I see,” he said.
“The thought of being able some direction and support for the community would be good.”
Mr Connor said a key challenge for the new council would be balancing the growth of the city against the need to protect Bathurst’s heritage.
Number three, Megan Jackson, said she had done a lot of volunteering and community work and running for council seemed the natural progression.
“I already had in mind the concept of standing for council for a number of years because we have a lack of females on council,” she said.
“So I’m going to put my hand up and like all the other women in town who are mums and are working it’s very hard to juggle everything, but I’m happy to give it a shot.”
Number four on the ticket will be Stuart Driver with Jim Sheehan at number five.