TWO long-serving councillors have been recognised with council’s highest honour, earning Freeman of the City awards.
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Former mayors, James Treloar and Warren Woodley were nominated for the awards by current leader Col Murray.
In his nomination, Cr Murray said Mr Treloar “has been a role model of substance to aspiring civic leaders”.
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Mr Treloar served on council for 29 years and counted 15 of those years as mayor, which made him Tamworth’s longest-serving leader.
He was also recognised for overseeing “some of the most significant infrastructure investment” in the city’s history and his work during the 2004 amalgamation.
Mr Woodley was recognised for 39 years of service on council; the city’s second-longest local government tenure.
Cr Murray credited the council stalwart for his effective work addressing “violence and drug and alcohol related problems in the community”.
Both men campaigned for re-election in the 2016 council election.
What is the Freeman of the City award?
Freeman of the City is the greatest tribute a local government body can bestow on a resident.
In medieval times, the title of "freeman" would entitle the recipient to special privileges, such as the right to vote or own property. Now the granting of the Freedom of the City is seen more as a symbolic gesture.
The 12/16th Hunter River Lancers Regiment was the first to be bestowed the Freedom of the City of Tamworth on 23 October 1960.
The late Dr Warren Newman was the most recent recipient of the honour, made a Freeman of the City in December 2013 in recognition of his contribution to documenting local history.
The most recent Freeman of the City recipient before Mr Newman was Warwick Bennet in 2008.
He was the former chairman of Tourism Tamworth and was Mayor of Tamworth City for seven years in the 1980s.
Other past recipients include former NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler, historian Lyall Green, former politician Noel Park and his wife June, a former council town clerk Malcolm Keys, former councillor and long-serving electricity chairman Ray Walsh and former mayor David John.
In September, council agreed to bestow Freedom to the City of Tamworth on the Tamworth RSL Sub-branch in May when it celebrates its 100th Anniversary.
In May 2013, the first Key to the City of Tamworth was presented to cancer specialist Dr Robert Smee to recognise his `outstanding commitment and dedication to cancer care for the communities of Tamworth and the North West Region’.
The Key to the City is the highest honour the Tamworth Region community can give to someone who is not a local resident.