Residents are up in arms over the proposed selection of the new general manager of Wingecarribee Shire Council.
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Bundanoon resident Huw Kingston felt that the appointment of a new general manager should be delayed.
"Given the huge importance of this job in leading the administration into the future and the rather substantial salary that goes with it, surely the appointment should be delayed until a new council is in place, one that will work with the new GM," he said.
"I think anyone would see that the performance of our councillors has been less than stellar for some years now.
"The Minister for Local Government has slapped a performance improvement order on our council. Many believe an administrator should have been appointed some time ago."
Mr Kingston hoped to see a younger, gender and culturally diverse council elected at the September poll.
"There would appear to be a building groundswell of new candidates for the election this year," he said.
"One has to hope that they include those who can add both youth, gender and cultural diversity to council.
"It is a democratic process of course and new candidates could and hopefully will prove their mettle against the old in the election."
Mr Kingston is not the only one who shares these sentiments, with residents commenting on a recent post on the Southern Highland News Facebook page.
One person, Renee Broadbent, shared her views.
"Someone selected from the new council after elections, rather than someone selected by the current council," she wrote.
A petition created by Friends of Wingecarribee president Adam Jacobson has circulated online.
"Since the last local government elections in 2016, ratepayers of Wingecarribee Shire have experienced a tumultuous term with their council," the petition read.
"In August 2020, 10 town/village community associations wrote to Minister Hancock requesting that the appointment of the general manager be deferred until after the Local Government election on September 4, 2021.
"The reasoning was that it would be undemocratic and immoral for current councillors, by virtue of the extended term; the increased statistical likelihood of a casting vote; and proven dysfunction, to appoint a person into a role crucial to the future of the shire. We now again ask, through this petition, that the NSW Government deem that Wingecarribee Shire Council defers the appointment of the general manager until after September 4, 2021 when a newly elected council is confirmed."
You can view the petition here.
More to come
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