Cr Andrea Metcalf is assured of a second mayoral term after fending off a challenge from her deputy Matthew Evans.
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She will take on her second year-long term at the City of Greater Bendigo once a formal vote is completed next week.
Former mayor Jennifer Alden will become deputy mayor.
Cr Evans had stated publicly he wanted the top job.
"I think I'm definitely ready and I would love to have that opportunity to put myself forward," he said last week.
Cr Evans has now taken to Twitter to congratulate the new mayor-elect and deputy mayor-elect.
"Best wishes to you both as you lead our council forward," he tweeted.
"I've enjoyed the opportunity to serve as deputy mayor. It's been an honour."
Cr Metcalf is one of only a handful of people in the modern Bendigo council era to win consecutive mayoral terms.
Others include Cr Rod Fyffe who served back-to-back terms in the mid-2000s.
But the practice was rare until Cr Margaret O'Rourke won a record four consecutive terms late last decade.
Cr Fyffe was until then something of an anomaly - his consecutive mayoral terms coincided with the end of one four year council term, a general election and the beginning of another four-year term.
Money matters as flood repair bills stream in
Cr Metcalf will begin her new term as Bendigo faces sweeping challenges.
One early hurdle could be finding budget money at a time when the council needs to repair flood damage across the municipality, and plan out Commonwealth Games infrastructure on tight timelines.
The council is drafting the budget in the shadow of high inflation and a tight cap on rate rises.
That cap on the council's main source of money sits this financial year at 1.75 per cent, less than a third of the 6.1 per cent CPI Australia recorded last June.
"This poses a challenge for the city in terms of bridging the gap between revenue and expenditure," council officers have said in a briefing document released to the public last week.
"The rate cap for 2023/2024 will be announced in late 2022/early 2023, it is not expected that it will close this gap it created in 2022/2023."
The council also needs to account for construction costs that are blowing out as much as 40 per cent, along with hikes in insurance premiums, fuel bills and utilities.
Mayor-elect says finding new employee will be biggest task
Cr Metcalf will likely play a critical role employing a new worker whose legacy could be greater than any serving councillor's.
The council is in the early stages of the search for a new chief executive after top bureaucrat Craig Niemann announced he would depart by the end of 2023.
"Council expects this will involve an extensive search and be a highly competitive process, given Greater Bendigo's reputation as a leading regional city," Cr Metcalf said.
The council will also soon know the results of the upcoming state election.
"I look forward to continuing Council's strong advocacy efforts in the lead up to next year's state and federal budgets," Cr Metcalf said.
"We have a number of major projects we want to see delivered, as well as important local infrastructure like various tracks and trails. Knocking on doors in Canberra and on Spring Street will be a key focus."
Cr Metcalf said she was most looking forward to meeting with community group meetings, school visits, presentations and other events
"I really enjoy meeting with residents, it's the best part of the job as mayor," she said.
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
