By Ruza Zivkusic
THE starting gun has sounded and Brimbank City councillors are in a race for the mayor’s seat.
Tonight’s (Tuesday) council meeting will see the new mayor elected but the question is whether the third-term mayor Natalie Suleyman will win her fourth term as Cr Troy Atanasovski plans to put his hand up for the job, saying there is a 50-50 chance for him to succeed.
“It’s going to be a deal done at the 11th hour,” Cr Atanasovski said.
Long-time councillor Margaret Giudice said she was not going to contest, as she did not think she would have the numbers.
She said the race was between Cr Suleyman and Cr Sam David, and said she was doubtful Cr Atanasovski could win.
“I suppose I would like to see a new face. There’s been some discussions along the way but until the (last) weekend things will start to heat up and probably more so on Monday,” Cr Giudice told Star last Thursday.
Cr David and Cr Suleyman said when questioned last week that they had not decided whether they would run for mayor.
“It’s fairly early stages as we say in council terms and I would need to speak with my fellow councillors,” Cr Suleyman said.
Cr Costas Socratous said he wanted to see a new mayor.
“I believe that we are due for changes. Put it this way – I want a change,” he said.
Long-serving Labor MP George Seitz said it was “entirely up to the 11 councillors” to decide who is going to be the mayor.
He denied having any involvement in the matter saying he was “not close in the circle”.
“Troy (Atanasovski) and me are friends and always will be but as far as what goes on in council, it’s something that I have most fun reading in the paper,” Mr Seitz said.
