A countback will be conducted in Melton City’s Coburn ward after councillor Broden Borg resigned a year into his term.
As reported on this website last week, Cr Borg made the shock announcement at last Tuesday’s council meeting.
The primary school teacher is moving to Dubai to teach in a prep-12 school.
“It has been a privilege to serve the people of Melton,” he said. “I’ve been here since I was 20 so I feel like I’ve grown up on this council.”
Cr Borg, who was re-elected in 2012 with the highest number of votes, said he would not make a farewell speech at his final council meeting in July.
His resignation takes effect on August 20.
“I think my greatest achievement was gaining residents’ trust, by doing what I said I’m going to do,” he said.
Cambridge, Coburn and Watts Residents Association (CCWRA) president Nathan Miles said Cr Borg had been a great community servant.
“The CCWRA would like to thank [him] for his tireless work … and his willingness to always listen and act on community concerns,” Mr Miles said.
The Victorian Electoral Commission will conduct a countback on August 26.
“We work with council and use the original ballot papers, excluding the resigned member,” VEC spokeswoman Sue Lang said. “We’ll go to the next highest preference and approach the new nominal-elected person. They then have 48 hours to respond.”
If the elected candidate declines, the candidate with the next-highest number of votes will be contacted.
Melton Residents Association president Peter Rowan, who was one of 30 Coburn ward candidates at the last election, said he would step up if asked to do so.
