THE TWEED www.tweedecho.com.au Volume 4 #4 Thursday, September 22, 2011 kids Advertising and news enquiries: all about Phone: (02) 6672 2280
[email protected] [email protected] P12 #!" 21,000 copies every week !5$)4 LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Longland takes the mayoral helm Steve Spencer important issues in the past. ‘I thought Barry would do a good job; he’s Uki-based councillor Barry Longland (pictured) quite an accomplished bloke, an accountant and has been elected mayor aft er a shock switch of well qualifi ed for the top job,’ Cr Youngblutt told allegiance by former political rivals. The Echo aft erwards. Th e surprise poll on Tuesday put the future Th e most critical issue looks set to be the Byr- of the controversial bid to build a dam at Byrrill rill Creek dam proposal, which saw the council Creek further in doubt, with Cr Longland vow- spit down the middle last year aft er Cr van ing to use the mayor’s casting vote to break any Lieshout decided to abstain from the vote be- deadlocked vote on the project. cause her husband owns land near the dam site. Cr Phil Youngblutt was elected deputy mayor, Th at led to the then mayor, Cr Skinner, twice even getting support from political rival Cr using his casting vote to push the dam project Katie Milne, who also voted for Cr Longland. forward. Although a longtime ally of Cr Warren Pol- Now any future deadlocked vote on the dam glase, Cr Youngblutt switched his vote to Cr will be decided by Cr Longland, who has op- Longland, giving the new mayor four votes out posed a Byrrill Creek dam from the start.