Speaking to The Courier late Friday afternoon, mayor Samantha McIntosh said she’d contacted the new board to arrange a meeting early next week, but she was yet to hear back.

The move followed a controversial decision by the council to compulsory acquire the Eureka Stadium Sports Club facility from the football club earlier this month. 

“We wish the board great success and look forward to meeting with the new chairman to discuss where to from here,” she said. “Our goal is to build a great working relationship with the new board members.”

However, newly appointed North Ballarat Football Club chairman John Nevett categorically stated earlier this week, he would like to see the council’s decision to make compulsory acquisition of the sports club facility overturned. 

“I would like to see it reversed, but I understand that if in reversing it we still have to be able to run this club and to run all those participants that are involved in the club,” he said.

Cr McIntosh said on Friday the council stood by its decision.

“We listened to the debate surrounding the facility for a long period we felt there was not other option but to acquire it,” she said.  “We are open to discussion with the new board but we believe our decision was in the best interests of the community.”

"Our role is not to run the football club, it is not to run a board, it is to act in the interests of our community and to make sure taxpayer dollars being put into the project are used appropriately.”  

The council’s director of infrastructure and environment Terry Demeo previously said if the council was unable to govern the entire centre, the more than $30 million of public money invested in the Eureka Stadium and Ballarat Major Events Precinct would be in jeopardy. 

He said if the council had not taken action it risked losing AFL matches at the stadium.