Just 12 months out from the local government elections and there's speculation mounting on who will contest the Port Stephens mayoral position come September 2020.
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With current mayor Ryan Palmer expected to run again, it is uncertain where the challenges will come from for the top job and it is widely expected that the Labor Party will run a candidate.
The position of mayor in Port Stephens is popularly elected.
West ward councillor Giacomo Arnott, a member of the ALP who has worked for both State and Federal MPs Kate Washington and Meryl Swanson, was non committal when asked about the prospects of standing for the popular elected job.
"It is not on my radar ... my focus at the moment is to continue the work I was elected to do and that is delivering to the people of west ward and to Port Stephens," Cr Arnott said.
The Port's longest serving mayor Bruce MacKenzie was equally guarded when questioned about previous comments he had made to the media about a possible comeback.
"I will be 82 this time next year but I feel 55 and I keep an interest in what's going on in council," he said.
Mr MacKenzie said that he would consider throwing his hat in the ring and preference Ryan Palmer for the mayoral job if Labor's Giacomo Arnott decided to run for mayor.
"If I happen to get elected I'd be the oldest mayor in the world," he joked.
The one certainty is that there will be an east ward vacancy at the 2020 poll with the council's most senior member, John Nell, confirming he will retire next September from his civic duties after 30-plus years.
"I won't be contesting the next election ... I look forward to spending more time with family and travelling. I would like to think that I have done my bit for the environment and sporting communities in that time," the 72-year-old retired marine biologist said.
The remaining councillors are expected to re-contest the 2020 ballot.
The geographical make-up of the Port Stephens local government area is also expected to get a shake-up with proposed changes to the ward boundaries to go before the next meeting of council.
It has been speculated that the town of Karuah would be shifted from west ward to become part of central ward and Boat Harbour to move from central ward to the east ward.
Tony Wickham, the council's governance section manager, confirmed that two options had been identified for the council's consideration at its meeting on September 10.
"All ward boundaries must be reviewed in preparation for the 2020 local government election. The last review was conducted in 2015 and came into effect at the local government election in 2017," Mr Wickham said.
"Reviews are required under the Local Government Act 1993 to ensure the difference between the ward with the highest number of electors and the lowest number of electors is not more than 10 per cent."
Mr Wickham said that had been significant increases in elector numbers since 2015, leading to a difference of about 12 per cent between the ward with the highest number of electors and the lowest number of electors.
The Local Government Association's enrolment variance report handed down on May 6, 2019, confirmed these figures, displaying the number of electors in central ward at 17,670 (lowest) compared to 20,061 in west ward (highest).
Mr Wickham said that after the council endorses a proposal, it would be placed on public exhibition for community feedback. It will then go back to the council for final consideration and adoption.
"The deadline to advise the NSW Electoral Commission of the changes is December 9, 2019."
