Former Wingecarribee mayor receives Medal of the Order of Australia

Mr Reynolds served as mayor, deputy mayor and councillor in the years spanning 1983 to 2004.

The well known Bowral resident also held various portfolios with the NSW Local Government Association between 1987and 1996.

He was Finance and Economic Development Committee chairman; commissioner of the Local Government Boundaries Commission; and chairman of the Local Government Financial Services.

Mr Reynolds was alderman of Bowral's Municipal Council; chairman of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation; and chairman and board member of the Public Sector Superannuation Scheme.

He also held director roles with the State Super Financial Services; State Authorities Superannuation Board; South Western Sydney Area Health Service; and Sydney Ports Authority.

This was in addition to the volunteer work Mr Reynolds undertook for local groups including the Bowral and District Hospital Board; Southern Highlands Private Hospital; Berrima District Industries; Bowral Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal; and the Uniting Church.

Of his OAM nomination Mr Reynolds told Southern Highland News he was "surprised and humbled".

"It's been a long time since I was on the council, which I understand was the main part of the accolade," he said.

"I went into local government to attempt to make a difference. I was very interested and concerned about the development of the shire at that time."

That was shortly after the amalgamation in 1980 of three councils to form Wingecarribee Shire Council.

"At that time two of those councils were pretty much broke so the new council was set up in dire financial straights," Mr Reynolds said.

"I was particularly concerned about that. And also the future of the shire and the way in which it was looking to be developed."

At that time there was enormous pressure from developers attempting to get land from around the edges of Bowral, according to Mr Reynolds.

"People wanted to get hold of 100 acres and then have the council to re-zone it to housing lots for huge amounts of money," he said.

"We didn't want to end up looking like Campbelltown."

Prior to that Mr Reyonld's career was in finance and business.

"The council really became my career at that time," he said.

"Finance and planning were the two basics of council and in those days we had a very competent team of councillors and staff all dedicated to the same cause. That was to position the shire for the future."

The goal was to produce an area that was well financed and planned for, in a way that stopped the ravages of developers.

"With the capacity and the ability of the people involved we managed to put something together that achieved what we set out to do," Mr Reynolds said.

"The district now is pretty much what we wanted it to be.

"It was pretty rough along the way but we were a council that stuck to its guns and principals. We remained committed to maintaining what we had set up, and that's given me a lot of satisfaction," he said.