THE final meeting of the current Coffs Harbour City councillor team has been held, with outgoing councillors not contesting again at the local government election on Saturday 4 December farewelled and acknowledged for their community efforts.

Long standing councillors Mayor Cr Denise Knight and Cr Keith Rhoades sat their final Council meeting, with their partners in attendance, on Thursday 25 November and their contribution to the Coffs Harbour region during their time on Council was acknowledged by their fellow councillors.

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All other six councillors, including Deputy Mayor Cr Paul Amos, Cr Michael Adendorff, Cr Tegan Swan, Cr John Arkan, Cr Sally Townley and Cr George Cecato are running for Mayor and Councillor at the local government election.

Mayor Knight wished all the current councillors running in the election the “best of luck”.

“Keep it clean, keep it tidy; I wish you all the very best,” Cr Knight said as the Council meeting came to a close.

Mayor Knight thanked Cr Keith Rhoades for his 30 years of dedication on Council.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the General Manager Steve McGrath, the Directors, Group Leaders, Team Leaders and all the staff that are of Coffs Harbour City Council and thank everybody for their help and support.

“Also, my present Deputy Mayor and my previous Deputy Mayors that have served in the position admirably and have really given the Deputy Mayor role something that I hope the next Deputy Mayor can aspire to.”

Mayor Knight also thanked the community and all the volunteers that “work tirelessly in the community, for electing all of us”.

“We are an amazing team, also, we don’t always agree but that makes a good Council,” Cr Knight said.

“A good government is only as good as it’s opposition, and it makes us all work harder.”

Mayor Knight also thanked her husband Chris and her family and announced that she will remain Coffs Harbour Mayor until the new Mayor is announced following the election.

Coffs Harbour Deputy Mayor Cr Paul Amos acknowledged Cr Knight’s contribution to the Coffs Harbour community at the final meeting.

“It has been huge, 13 years of dedication, that’s a long, long time of your life, and the bulk of that as a Mayor,” Cr Amos said.

“In my five years I’ve met a woman who’s strong, dedicated and generous.

“It’s a great pleasure to have such a people-person around us.”

Cr Amos said Cr Knight has been an inspiration to many young women.

“I think that’s probably one of the reasons you came into this job,” he said.

“Your compassion and your passion are unstoppable, they’re unquestionable.

“You leave many legacies; I think you can be proud of your time as a Mayor, I wish you good health and happiness in your retirement.”

Cr Rhoades thanked all of the councillors he has worked with during his 30 years on Council, since 1991, including the more “colourful characters” on Council.

“Yes you do have your differences, but those differences are what you feel is right for your community, and you feel that you are acting on behalf of your community when you make those decisions,” Cr Rhoades said.

“I wouldn’t be here, none of us would be here without the support of our community members that vote for us, and I thank all of those over that period of time on seven elections.

“I had the opportunity in life to grow with a town that became a city, that became a regional place, a regional destination; we have grown to be now the leading regional city within NSW.”

Cr Rhoades also thanked his wife, Trish, and his family.

“I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to do what I have done for that period of time, thankyou,” he said.

Mayor Knight called the final meeting of the current Council team to a close and marked the end of her final Council meeting as Coffs Harbour Mayor with her gavel for one final time.

By Emma DARBIN