After wrapping up her first term on Griffith City Council - Rina Mercuri is keen to keep the momentum going.
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While the first term stretched a little longer than first expected, she has a clear idea of how council should be working together with the community.
Councillor Mercuri first ran in 2012 but missed out, but attended every meeting before being elected four years later.
"Even with that knowledge it takes time to get your head around it all and you don't realise all the ins and out and what you can get done," she said.
"You're one person and it goes to a vote of 12."
Before being elected to council, Cr Mercuri volunteered her time on committees for several organisations and said it gave her an understanding of how to find ways to partner with other community groups on council.
During the last term Cr Mercuri has been a member of 14 different council committees ranging from Springfest, CBD upgrade and business development committees among others.
"Springfest has been the most enjoyable, seeing the open gardens, the citrus sculptures, the events and the visitors and locals coming to see it all," she said.
She said council staff had estimated $3.6 million was injected into the Griffith economy during Springfest 2019, which highlighted the importance of those visitors to supporting the city's retailers, cafes, restaurants hotels, and more.
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Promoting the city and its lifestyle through events was one way to ensure the growth and development of the city over time, as was Lake Wyangan.
She said Lake Wyangan was a work in progress which council had been working on to improve.
"We should have it as a space that people can enjoy," and said lawn, a playground and kiosk should form part of the future.
"We could have more caravan space for free campers, that way if people aren't paying for a site, they may spend a little bit longer here and spend money in our community," she said.
Cr Mercuri said it would be up to the residents to make a decision on whether 12 people are elected to council.
While a reduction would save some dollars for ratepayers, she said it could make things tricky when a decision has to be made.
"Because everyone knows each other in Griffith, we sometimes need to declare an interest and it could mean there's not a quorum," she said.
"If the community feels we need 12 then the community has spoken."
Cr Mercuri said the decision of who is mayor should be decided by residents.
"It should be the people that decide because they get the mayor they want."
However the votes are tallied up, Cr Mercuri said whatever she did, she did to the best of her ability.
"I would love to be given an opportunity to do that in a council which values fair and open discussion."
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