The Central Coast Council has returned from the local government wilderness, holding its first councillor meeting in four years and voting in two former mayors to lead them.
Team Central Coast councillor Lawrie McKinna was named mayor, beating out Labor councillor Kyle MacGregor.
He's the first person to hold the title since a $500-million debt plunged the council into administration, forcing it to miss the 2021 election.
Cr McKinna previously served as the last Gosford Shire mayor before it was amalgamated with Wyong Shire in 2016 to form the current Central Coast Council.
The new mayor was also the inaugural coach of the Central Coast Mariners, leading them to the A-League grand final in the competition's first year in 2005.
Cr Douglas Eaton was voted deputy mayor, defeating Labor Cr and former MP Belinda Neal.
Cr Eaton was also the last mayor of Wyong Shire Council before it was amalgamated. Another familiar face on the new-look council is the first Central Coast Council mayor, Cr Jane Smith.
Drama by the second motion
The first council meeting wasn't without drama, with a heated debate between councillors about whether to allow Cr John Mouland to participate in the meeting via audio-visual link.
Cr Mouland was on a family trip in Europe, which was book pre-COVID. He was sworn in as a councillor at the Australian Embassy in Madrid.
However, several councillors were disgruntled that he didn't return for the first meeting, had not declared his trip before the election and had not correctly submitted a formal leave of request.
"I hope Cr Mouland is enjoying his trip, it sounds like an amazing trip, it sounds like he spent quite a bit of money travelling to and fro... my only comment is he didn't spend any of that money to come back to this meeting and he was well advised of the date," Cr Smith said.
Cr Mouland was allowed to join the meeting, with his request voted up eight-to-seven.
Cr Trent McWaide's frustration was apparent when he called for the new council to start off on the right foot and work cooperatively.
"Here we go again - we come here and we want a fresh start, but instead we're getting into the semantics, it doesn't really matter, so let's just move forward as a team and be cohesive," Cr McWaide said, which was met with a round of applause from residents within the chamber.
At the local government election, Central Coast residents were required to vote on a constitutional referendum, asking if they wanted to reduce the number of wards from five to three, and the number of councillors from 15 to nine.
The proposal will be implemented at the 2028 elections, after 62 per cent of voters agreed to the changes.
