The City of Gosnells Council will be one seat short until the October 2019 local government election, after councillors voted this week not to fill Liz Storer’s position.
Ms Storer handed in her resignation on April 24 and remained as a city councillor taking part in community events and council business until May 1.
She told The Examiner her resignation was for personal reasons, as she had recently accepted a job interstate.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve as a councillor for the city,” she said. “Every week was different, I would be hard pressed to describe a favourite or a standout event.”
Councillors were presented with two options at this week’s council meeting in dealing with the vacancy.
Option one was to hold an extraordinary election to fill the vacancy at what was expected to be in excess of $200,000, while option two was to keep Ms Storer’s seat vacant until the next ordinary local government election in October 2019.
Council voted unanimously for the second option and staff recommendation, as the financial implications indicated the council’s budget did not include funding for the extraordinary election to take place.
Councillors Serena Williamson, Teressa Lynes and Olwen Searle nominated themselves as replacements for Ms Storer on the Public Art Committee, South East Metropolitan Regional Road Sub-Group and WALGA South East Metropolitan Zone committees.
Mayor Glenn Dewhurst said the council wished Ms Storer all the best for her move interstate and thanked her for time and dedication serving as a councillor since October 2015.
