Sarah McMahon elected mayor of Hawkesbury City Council for remainder of current term

Cr McMahon was elected as the mayor at the ordinary meeting of the council, Tuesday, August 23.

She was challenged for the position by Independent councillor Mary Lyons-Buckett and Labor Councillor Amanda Kotlash.

In the first round of open voting, Cr McMahon received six votes, Cr Lyons-Buckett received three votes and Cr Kotlash received two, eliminating Cr Kotlash from the next round.

Cr McMahon was elected in the second open vote, seven to three, and will hold the position of mayor for the remainder of the term, from August 2022 to January 2024.

Aside from her own vote, those in favour of Cr McMahon were councillors Patrick Conolly, Paul Veigel, Jill Reardon, Eddie Dogramaci, Barry Calvert and Les Sheather.

In favour of Cr Lyons-Buckett were Councillors Danielle Wheeler and Shane Djuric.

Cr Kotlash abstained from voting.

Councillor Nathan Zamprogno was absent from the vote.

In taking to the mayoral seat in the chamber, Cr McMahon said it was an honour and privilege to be elected as mayor and thanked her fellow councillors for their trust and faith in her.

"Having grown up in the Hawkesbury since I was a kid and going to school at St Matthew's just across the road from here (Council chambers)," she said.

"It is a very moving moment to now be elected as the mayor of this community, in this very building, in the very same precinct as my primary school."

Cr McMahon also paid tribute to the outgoing mayor, Cr Conolly, thanking him for his friendship, loyalty and integrity, and said his resignation was "unexpected, but understandable".

"I know my colleagues will echo these sentiments when I say, Patrick was, and still is, an exceptional leader, a staunch advocate and a respected friend," she said.