“And before honour is humility.’’ Campbelltown Mayor George Greiss chose these words from the Bible to close out his very last mayoral minute delivered at a farewell council meeting last night.
And to this observer’s eyes he described himself as he has been as mayor: honest, open, but most of all humble.
His wife Michelle and their two young children were in the public gallery, as were family members of other councillors in a meeting that had almost everything, from tears to cheers.
We will return to the mayoral minute tradition later, but it’s worth noting that every single councillor made a speech, some of which were more statesman-like than others, but all came from the heart.
None were more emotional than that of young Liberal Riley Munro, who almost broke down when he spoke of the disappointment of being denied the chance to run for a second term.
As everyone surely knows, in one mighty stuff up the NSW Liberal Party HQ failed to nominated tens of their candidates in councils across NSW, including the entire ticket for Campbelltown Council.
It means that with four Liberals gone, alongside the retirement of Councillor Rey Manoto and two former Labor councillors, there will be a minimum of seven new faces on the council after the September 14 election.
But it could actually be as high as nine new faces.
Two councillors seeking a second term are unlikely to be returned, especially Animal Justice Party representative Matt Stellino, who admitted he never expected to be elected in the first place back in 2021.
He told the South West Voice last night he didn’t hold much hope of winning this time round.
“Not only is the Animal Justice Party ticket under the line on the ballot paper, it’s split into two, seven names on one and just one name on the other,’’ he said.
“I just can’t see how we’re going to get enough votes.’’
The other councillor in danger of missing out is current deputy mayor Masud Khalil, who just scraped in for the last spot at the 2021 election.
But with veteran Meg Oates (pictured above) set to win another term she will bring 37 years of experience all on her own.
“When I first got elected Campbelltown was a big country town ignored by governments and bagged by the media,’’ Cr Oates said last night.
After the mayor called up each councillor and presented them with community service certificates, he was surprised when the council CEO Lindy Deitz told him to stay where he was.
Ms Deitz then presented Mayor Greiss with a book containing all of his mayoral minutes, as per our picture at the very top of the story. As readers can see, it’s title is The Book of George.
And with that it was time to go and have a bit of a celebration, along with their family and friends.
As for this old council reporter I left for home thinking that next time I am in that building I could be looking as many as nine new faces around the chamber.
But that’s up to the voters on September 14.
It is great that Councillor Meg Oates is still showing women that they can make a difference in their community. And local government is a role that women can play a big part in the progress of the area because they feel what is needed in their area and bring the need to council for action.
Councillor Meg Oates is corporate memory plus. It was an honour and privilege to work beside her from 2004-2012 and to be privy to some of that invaluable corporate memory which helped ground me in my journey as a Councillor. Keep flying the banner Meg.