AFTER seeing the first preference votes following the December 4 election, Warren Aubin had accepted that he would not be re-elected to Bathurst Regional Council.
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So it came as big surprise to him when the other preferences were distributed, seeing him secure the ninth and final spot on council.
"Everyone was saying, 'Oh, you'll get back on. You'll get back on', but I was bracing myself for the worst, telling myself ,'I'm not going to get back on'," he said.
It wasn't until the day after the preferences were distributed that he learned the he was still a councillor, with his partner Teo showing him the story written by the Western Advocate.
Cr Aubin went into the election thinking the upcoming term would be his last if he was re-elected.
There is still a chance that he will change his mind, but he is going into this term with a keen focus on delivering the best for the community, particularly with regard to health services.
"I'll play it by ear, see how this term goes. I'm never backward in coming forward. I'll say it as I see it and I won't pussyfoot around any issues that come up," he said.
"I'll be still pushing hard on the health side of life with the hospital, because I know there are problems up there - I've been getting contacted while I've been away [on holiday].
"I'll push really hard as soon as we get the verdict for the medical centre to get that happening, because that is going to be crucial for our health service in Bathurst for years to come. Going forward, we need that."
Cr Aubin also wants to deliver on his election promises.
One of the key ones was to improve the way council fixes potholes.
"I'll be looking for better ways to fix our roads because I feel the way we are doing it is archaic," he said.
"I know it's the general way that all councils fix potholes and that sort of thing, but I just think that we need a better way of doing things, both for outcomes and time."
Previously, he said council should trial new equipment that uses hot mix, as opposed to a blue metal mix, to repair potholes.
Water security is another priority for him.
During his campaign he proposed that council pursue the idea of a pipeline from Warragamba Dam to the Oberon dam.
"That water could be, obviously put in the Oberon dam, but it could be let down the Fish River, which comes straight to our filtration plant. In times of drought, we would have a supply of water," he said during the campaign.
This term will be Cr Aubin's fourth term on Bathurst council, after first being elected in 2008.
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