By Corey Everitt
Ex-councillor David Nickell has been elected to the council over two decades since he last served, defeating incumbent Jeff Springfield and ending his two-term reign.
The VEC calculated the preference distribution for Ranges Ward on Friday 8 November in a race that saw Nickell on a slight lead of a hundred votes in the first preference count.
Nickell won by 603 votes after preferences to defeat Springfield, 4066 votes to 3463.
“It’s mixed feelings, I know there is a lot of work ahead, but I’m very happy, I’m very pleased that the rate players chose change in Ranges Ward,” Nickell said.
“I now feel some responsibility to carry that to council and see what we can improve for Ranges.”
Fellow candidate, Catherine Oldenburger fell behind in the first preference votes whereas Nickell and Springfield surged ahead with only about a 100-vote margin.
Oldenburger would be the kingmaker in this contest with 1225 of her 1956 votes going to preference Nickell.
A former Mayor, Springfield will depart serving eight years. He wished Nickell well in his return to representing the hills and said his time as councillor was a ‘privilege and a pleasure’.
I would like to thank all the members of our community that have supported me during the last two terms,” Springfield said.
“It has been an absolute honour to represent the hills and the community that I love within the council chamber. I have also been humbled and honoured to twice represent our wider community within the position of Mayor.”
Nickell said he will ‘build on’ Springfield’s work.
“Jeff and I had spoken, I greatly appreciate his words of congratulations and I would like to thank him for his work over the last eight years which includes tough times during covid,” Nickell said.
Previously serving as Ranges Ward councillor from 2000 to 2003, Nickell returns to council over 20 years later.
“There are a lot of challenges in Ranges Ward, some aren’t shared by others in the shire and I need to effectively convey that to councillors,” Nickell said.
“Roads, strategic planning for economic change, harsher risk and resilience. With storms and increased fire risk, the community needs to start working really hard and become more independent.”
He has contributed to a number of committees over the years, including the Mountain Road Reserve Committee of Management, helping to establish the first Cockatoo Township Committee, joining the Gembrook Township Committee and serving as the chairperson for close to 10 years, and co-founding the Eastern Dandenong Ranges Association and serving as chair for a few years.
