COUNCILLOR Adam Shultz has been unanimously elected as deputy mayor of Lake Macquarie City Council for the next 12 months.
"I'm ecstatic, I'm looking forward to supporting mayor Kay Fraser over the next 12 months, I'm really excited to try and contribute," Cr Shultz said.
"I've been serving as a councillor for the last six years so it's really great to be able to do so in another capacity.
"My background is financial, so I'll be making sure our budget is sound and we're trying to combat inflationary pressures which council isn't immune to, so making sure we have all our ducks in a row."
Councillors voted by ordinary ballot, with chief executive officer Morven Cameron as the returning officer.
In one of the top jobs, the deputy mayor is required to step in for mayor Kay Fraser when she's unable to attend functions, chair council and committee meetings and witness the affixing of the council seal to certain documents.
Cr Shultz said he was keen to take on the extra responsibility.
"We have a young family as well, so now was the right time to step forward with a three-year-old and one-year-old and at some point we're hoping to add to our brood, so if I didn't do it now I'm not sure when I could do it," he said.
"There's that and also in terms of the things on the horizon at the moment ... there's obviously going to have to be some hard discussion in the future in terms of what we prioritise and what we have to go out and deliver for the community.
"It's a new experience and something I'm looking forward to doing."
Former deputy mayor Jason Pauling was elected in January at the first council meeting, after council elections.
His nine-month stint as deputy mayor was unusual, after the most recent local government elections were postponed to December 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cr Fraser thanked him for his service as deputy mayor at Monday night's meeting.
"For the last nine months, unfortunately you didn't get a full 12 months as deputy mayor, but can I say I've really enjoyed working with you," she said.
"You've been a really great resource to me, you've been someone I could lean on and talk to during that nine month period and I've thoroughly enjoyed you being my deputy mayor.
"Thank you very much for representing me when you did.
"I know you've got a very busy role in your normal job but you've been out representing me and you've been a good statesman for this year, so thank you very much."
The vote for deputy mayor is usually in September, with the next local government elections slated for September 2024.
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