Cr Lisa Cooper has been elected as Mayor of Knox City Council, with Cr Glen Atwell to serve as Deputy Mayor for the next year.
Cr Cooper thanked her colleagues for the trust placed in her to lead the newly-elected Council .
"I'm deeply humbled by this experience … I also want to recognise the wide skills and wisdom that we share among our team of councillors here tonight," she said following Thursday night's mayoral election.
"Every single councillor here brings so much to the table and I know over the next four years we're going to build a really great team together. I know that we are going to achieve great things together over the next four years."
Cr Cooper was first elected to represent Scott Ward in 2015, and previously served as mayor in 2020-21. The long-standing Knox resident has a background in financial services and holds a Bachelor of Psychological Science.
She thanked her family, saying that as a single mum she wouldn't be there without their support, including that of her two children who had "grown up so fast" over the past nine and a half years on Council.
Cr Cooper also expressed gratitude for the residents and community groups in Knox.
"There are some amazing people in our community that do so much for their groups and for their small communities," she said.
Cr Cooper thanked former mayor Jude Dwight, who retired as the councillor for Chandler Ward at the end of her term, recognising her competence, kindness, passion and integrity.
"Jude has a wonderful heart," Cr Cooper said. "She's genuinely a very kind and honest person and she always brought her professional best to the table. I have a very healthy respect for Jude and we've developed a fantastic friendship as well."
Knox Mayor, Cr Lisa Cooper and Deputy Mayor, Cr Glen Atwell.
The new Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glen Atwell from Rowville, was elected to represent Tirhatuan Ward at the 26 October council elections. Cr Atwell served on Stonnington City Council from 2016-2020 and has a corporate affairs and higher education background. Cr Atwell is married with two boys and has openly shared the story of his daughter Ivy, who died in February at the age of eight. He is a passionate advocate for universal access, genuine inclusion and support for those with disabilities and their carers.
Cr Atwell said he was very grateful and humbled to help lead and support the new councillor team "as we embark on a new chapter for Knox".
"It is an incredibly diverse and talented team and there's enormous potential for us to be a really strong and united Council and one that's focused on transparency, integrity and working in the interests of all the Knox community," he said.
They are among nine councillors elected at the 26 October council elections to serve a four-year term.
The other seven councillors are Peter Lockwood (Baird Ward), Paige Kennett (Chandler Ward), Chris Duncan (Collier Ward), Robert Williams (Dinsdale Ward), Meagan Baker (Dobson Ward), Parisa Considine (Friberg Ward) and Susan Pearce (Taylor Ward).
For more information about councillors visit knox.vic.gov.au/councillors
