Letter to the Editor - Council executive contract term

Beagle Weekly News - Letter to the Editor,

I am standing as a candidate in the Eurobodalla Council election. In order to be more informed of senior staff arrangements , I wrote to the General Manager requesting the expiry date of any employment contract for the existing four executive staff ie: the GM and three Directors who run the show.

The reply (below) did not confirm any contract nor inform me of any contract end-of-term date for the three Directors. It did confirm the GM’s contract ‘will be considered by Council at its meeting on 26th September’ ( the contract was extended ).

Above: did the General Manager actually write this letter? It reads as if written in the Third Person yet is signed (with stamp) by the General Manager I’m not sure if the GM wrote the letter as it reads as if written in the Third Person but it is informative and told me the GM can appoint or dismiss senior staff and that after an election the Council must review the organisational structure and determine senior staff positions – all public knowledge. However, contract end date for senior Public Servants ( remember that term ? ) at OUR council is relevant public information (I did not ask for staff salaries) . My question to the GM requested expiry end date of any contracts for executive staff and the question was not fully answered. Withholding such information is telling in that it implies there may be no contract as such for the three Directors and their employment is at the discretion of Councillors who have the authority to ‘determine’ senior staff positions. While there is no conclusion here for a new council to hire or fire anyone, the failure of the GM to clearly answer my question is one of the reasons I am running for Council. The perceived secrecy at the top level at Council has increased alarmingly in recent years and continued under the slumberous gaze of some councillors. In the community there is a widespread feeling for change and already many new faces are running as candidates. While the voters might look to installing new councillors it is essential they are fully informed regarding senior employment arrangements as it is often said that the senior executives are untouchable. Truth and clarity around their tenure is essential for a new council to strategically plan for an increasingly complex future in our Shire. Best wishes to all candidates who are also fed up with the same old. I’ll be one of them running with ‘A Better Council’ team hoping for some renewal. Gary Smith