At tonight's Lismore City Council meeting our new Deputy Mayor will be elected. Under normal circumstances this is not an overly interesting vote but in a COVID year where council elections have been deferred by twelve months, September 2021, it does give the Deputy Mayor a more visual profile if that person wishes to run for Mayor next year.

Mayor Isaac Smith confirmed this point, "it does give that person more prominence going into a Mayoral election year."

During this four year term we have had Councillors Gianpiero Battista, Vanessa Ekins, Elly Bird and currently Darlene Cook serving as Deputy Mayors for LCC.

"In the past this has been a rotating position to give other councillors experience in that role," Mayor Smith said, "but the rule book has been thrown aside once COVID hit."

So who is putting their hat in the ring tonight?

Councillor Nancy Casson has said she will nominate, Neil Marks wasn't sure, Eddie Lloyd and Bill Moorhouse were contemplating not staying in their roles for another twelve months so they probably won't nominate. This would leave Adam Guise as a third option unless one of the other four breaks the unwritten rotation policy.

The biggest item on the council meeting tonight is the Development Application for a controversial new building in Cullen Street, Nimbin.

The Rainbow Café and Nimbin Museum burnt down in 2014 with the land owners working with council on design and plans for a new building that complies with the Nimbin Heritage Conservation area. The new DA seeks consent for a mixed-use development on 60A and 62 Cullen Street that includes retail shops, take away food and drink premises, a restaurant / café (12 seats), Medical Centre and outdoor communal space area at the rear of the site.

The debate will surround the car parking that was initially included in earlier DA's and has now been withdrawn. This was a concern for some of the thirteen submissions made to council from the public when it was put on display.

Another item that cause some debate are proposed changes to the Model Mode of Conduct and Procedures something that has been a point of conjecture with some councillors over the course of this term.

The Lismore App will have rundown of the results tomorrow.