Glen Innes Severn Council is looking for a new general manager.
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Longtime council boss Hein Basson has resigned to become general manager in Coonamble Shire, west of Tamworth, on June 3.
Born in South Africa, Mr Basson has been the manager in Glen Innes since 2005 and has 22 years' experience in a CEO-like role on councils. He was appointed to a third five-year term in 2015 and received endless glowing performance reviews through his career in Glen Innes.
Highlights of his decade in office include guiding the shire through the fit-for-the-future process thereby avoiding amalgamation and constructing the Eerindii Ponds off-stream storage system and a major new netball facility, among many other achievements.
Mr Basson did not attend last week's council meeting, held on Wednesday, and has been on leave.
At that meeting, the council resolved to hire a consultant to assist in performance management of Mr Basson or for hiring a new general manager. Mayor Carol Sparks, in her mayoral minute, argued that the process has been the same for too long and needed formal re-assessment. Four councilors voted to hire consultants to assist with the process, with councillors Smith and Price voting not to do so (councillor Toms was absent).
Expressions of interest are due at the end of May and the consultants are due to start work in June. The agency would only assess the general manager position, not other staff or councillors to avoid "conflicts of interest".
A press release issued by the Coonamble Shire announced Mr Basson's appointment and said he was looking forward to working with council, staff and the Coonamble community.
"It is an honour to be appointed as the general manager of Coonamble Shire Council," he is quoted as saying.
"As with the position of an elected member, it is a privileged role that carries with it important responsibilities.
"I look forward to providing leadership to a strong and stable governance structure and a 'can-do' executive management structure that will facilitate economic and social development in the shire."
Coonamble shire mayor Al Karanouh refused to speak about a "private matter" but said the hiring process went through the local government association and was coordinated by their acting GM Glenn Inglis. Applications for the job closed on March 25 2019.
Director of development, regulatory and sustainability services Graham Price will act as general manager until a replacement can be chosen. Mr Price has been a director on the council since 2006. The process for picking a new general manager will take at least six months but likely longer, and the new choice will be approved by councillors.
The Examiner spoke to several council figures including elected councillors but council has been asked not to comment before Friday. Mr Basson also could not be contacted for this story.