Hawkesbury City Councillor Nathan Zamprogno has been elected as Chairman of Hawkesbury River County Council (HRCC) for an unprecedented second one-year term.
HRCC encompasses the Hawkesbury, Hills, Penrith and Blacktown council areas, with two councillors put forward by each to form the board.
Formed in 1984, HRCC covers 3,823 square kilometres and has approximately 828,000 people living within its boundaries.
The council headquarters is located at South Windsor and it is a statutory council in its own right under the Local Government Act, but is referred to as a "special purpose Council", responsible for weed management and ensuring waterway health.
Its governing instrument used to be the Noxious Weeds Act, but was updated in 2015 and is now the Biosecurity Act.
This prompted HRCC to evolve and expand to include terrestrial weed management (weeds not specifically in waterways), land management, education and other biosecurity matters.
In 2020, the council has been working hard to repair and recommission the 'Weedocaurus' harvester, which pulled its mooring and sank near Penrith weir during the January/February floods.
It has also completed 3,949 property inspections to check and clear major invasive weed species.
HRCC weed officers have been checking on the regeneration of the bush, post-bushfires, often sighting wildlife like echidnas and platypuses in and around the district's waterways.
Councillors sit on the HRCC board for 4 years, the length of their local council term, with an informal agreement that sees each area take a turn to be chair for one year.
With all local government elections delayed by one year, HRCC will sit a five-year term.
Cr Zamprogno was the first Hawkesbury Liberal Councillor elected to the chair in October 2019 and this year was unanimously selected for a second one-year term.
"I'm very honoured by the support of all four member councils to permit me to remain as the chairman for a second year," said Cr Zamprogno.
"The HRCC does wonderful work in protecting the local environment.
"[HRCC] has used its skills and resources since 1948 to keep our waterways clean, conduct education campaigns, inspect properties for damaging weed species and evolve within the Biosecurity domain."
Hills Shire Cr Samuel Uno was elected as deputy, replacing outgoing councillor and Hawkesbury MP Robyn Preston.