Core council business and the appointment of a new CEO will be on returned Mayor Irene Grant's mind over the coming 12 months after she was elected to the top position in the 5-2 vote on Tuesday night. Her offsider Harvey Benton was also re-elected as deputy mayor, both bringing extensive experience to the job. Cr Dave Fuller was the only contender for both positions with support from Cr Allison Winters who subsequently nominated and voted for him for those roles. Mayor Grant told the Wangaratta Chronicle that she felt compelled to nominate as there was a major job ahead of council and that was to appoint a new CEO. Brendan McGrath has held the position for almost 12 years and he has taken up a position with North East Water which he will commence in the new year. She told the Chronicle that it will be a difficult job to find the right candidate and the hiring team needs experience in the process. Rates, roads and rubbish got a mention during Cr Grant's acceptance speech the the three Rs have long been a staple of Cr Grant view. "Being the mayor is a challenging and rewarding role and as we move into significant change it's important that I and we keep a strong focus on good governance "We need to focus on core business of local government because it's really easy to run down a whole range of ideological rabbit holes and lose focus on what's really important," she said. "We need to keep out eye on what's best for the whole community and what we can afford and sustain." Cr Grant has served as a councillor for more than a decade and also received an emeritus award this year. "I reflect on what's been achieved in the city with infrastructure and service delivery," Cr Grant said. "I remember Glenrowan back when I was mayor and councillor in the early 2000s and the need to recognise the Ned Kelly story. "We had $1.8 million to do the work but it was like a drop in the ocean and you didn't actually see the work that got done. "Funding was hard to get and it took us years to actually have it come to fruition. "When the building (Ned Kelly Discovery Hub) was constructed I was absolutely delighted as I saw how hard it was to get it off the ground in the first place. "Now the feedback we're getting is absolutely fantastic, people love it and it's made all the difference to Glenrowan." There is a long list of infrastructure development and accompanying services that have set Wangaratta up with facilities such as the sporting grounds, Wangaratta Sports and Aquatic Centre, the performing arts centre and the library that will cater for the projected population growth for years to come. During the council meeting Stephen Swart was appointed interim CEO effective 5 January 2026. Mr Swart will hold this role until a permanent CEO is appointed.
