Speaking after the meeting, Cr Radford said councillors attended a meeting on Monday on the plan, and would do so again later this month.

"I think there is a goal to get some sort of next-step resolution at the November (ordinary) meeting. If not there will be something in the December meeting," he said.

"I think one of the things that will happen is it will be divided into manageable segments or precincts, and each will likely have its own set of 'this is what we want to do and this is how we should do it'. I have to stress there are no decisions made yet, that's just a possible way forward."

Cr Radford said 2019 would be remembered as a year of planning for the council.

"We completed the open space strategy, we've been taking about the urban transport strategy and we're about to commence the Horsham South Structure Plan. That work will lead this community into the future and put us in a good place," he said.

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Cr Radford said a challenge of 2019 was the rating strategy.

"We got good buy-in from the community, and we came up with a result which we think - and I think some of the feedback from farmers has confirmed that - we now have a fairer system," he said. "I think council would be judged in a reasonable light for having a crack.

"You'll never get everyone happy but I like to think council might get recognition that that was good work done this year."

This will be Cr Radford's third term as mayor and second in a row, having previously served as council's top representative in 2014-15.

5.50pm: Mark Radford will see Horsham Rural City Council through to next year's elections as mayor.

At Thursday night's statutory meeting, Cr Radford was the only one who stood for the position. Cr John Robinson did not attend the meeting, and sent his apologies..

"Horsham's growth has been contemporaneous and proportionate with advancements in farming methods," Cr Radford said in his opening address.

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"The value of government grants should never be underestimated, to build those things and provide services and opportunities that a finite rate base simply could never afford.

"The crops research and value-adding to home-grown produce will continue to expand, the protein powder factory and expansion of the grains innovation park are evidence of this.

"The quality of education experience are also building on a foundation of high repute, evidenced by the high enrolment numbers at Longerenong. We are making genuine efforts to forge better relationships with our Indigenous people, and we continue to welcome new citizens from around the world.

"As for the train service, we're still working on that."

Cr Radford said the council would start formulating its next budget in a few weeks' time. He thanked his partner Anne and those of other councillors.

Section 71 of Victoria's Local Government Act (1989) states "councillors must elect a councillor to be the mayor of the council".

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In both South Australia and Queensland, voters elect a mayor at the same time they elect their councillors.

In New South Wales, mayors are elected either by the councillors, who elect a mayor from among themselves for a two-year term, or by voters, who directly elect a mayor using an optional preferential voting method, for a four-year term.

Local government minister Adem Somyurek said: "The law in Victoria reflects decades of current practice and does not generally allow for the direct election of the mayor.

"Recent consultation on the Local Government Act did not suggest that there is a strong desire from Victorians to change this."

Municipal Association of Victoria president Coral Ross said the organisation supported the existing mayoral voting arrangement.

More to come.