Interim CEO addresses Moira past

Mr Arnold said it came merely months before the contract was due to expire, and after he had already indicated he would not be seeking an extension.

He said it also came just moments after the council agreed to give him a pay rise.

Mr Arnold did admit, however, that it came during what was a challenging time for the council which resulted in a senior staff member leaving.

“I had been with the Moira Council for seven years and my contract as CEO had a couple of months left to go.

“I had advised the council that I would be finishing at the end of my contract, so all the councillors were acutely aware of that.

“At the time I was dealing with some inappropriate behaviour from a senior staff member, particularly in relation to some tendering. As a result of that investigation, that senior staff member departed.

“The council, at the next council meeting a few days later or possibly a week, concluded my annual performance review and unanimously resolved to give me a pay increase.

“And then about 15 minutes later they decided they would pay out the remaining couple of months of my contract.”

After taking a holiday with wife Anita to visit their daughter in America, Mr Arnold then took a position with Kingborough Council in Tasmania, where he has been based for the last 10 years.

Mr Arnold said he has never hidden the details surrounding his departure from Moira.

“Anyone that Googles Gary Arnold and council is going to get a complete rundown of my track record,” he said.

Edward River Mayor Peta Betts confirmed there were six applicants for the interim CEO role.

After initially gaining input from councillors on the interview process, herself, Deputy Mayor Marc Petersen and an independent general manager sat on the interview panel.

“Standard procedures were followed for the recruitment of interim chief executive officer by the Edward River Council,” Cr Betts said.

“During the process, all councillors were provided with the CVs of each applicant.

“All councillors collaboratively developed the interview questions, and all councillors were invited to attend each interview.”

Mr Arnold started his new role with ERC Monday this week.

His contract is for 12 months only, which will see the council through the local government elections in September and allow time for the newly elected council to recruit a permanent CEO.

Mr Arnold said he was free to pursue the job at Deniliquin as he had decided last year it was time to move on from Kingborough Council.

He said it sounded like a great opportunity to guide another council through some important steps and milestones.

“Local government is in my blood, and it's something that I enjoy doing.

“I am mindful that council's focus is its operational plan and draft budget.

“Obviously we want to finish the flood repair works; that’s one of the priority focuses.

“We also want to enhance our water supply system so that it's safe and secure, and we've got the rollout of the three bins, which is part of a regional contract and is a logistical challenge that we're sharing with a number of our fellow councils. But I think it's exciting times.

“Another major focus is the September elections and the lead up to it.

“In my role, I'll be making myself available to meet with any member of the community that wants to inquire about possibly being a candidate at the elections.

“Anyone that puts their hand up for public office, in my opinion, should be applauded.”

Mr Arnold said the opportunity to work with council on its growth strategy also enticed him to apply for the position.

He said he lead Kingborough Council through a similar process, so can offer some insight in that regard.

Mr Arnold has relocated to Deniliquin with wife Anita.

They are in the process of buying a home, and Mr Arnold said they are both excited to become part of the Deniliquin community.

The pair have two adult daughters - Olivia who lives in the United States with her family and Tara who is based in Geelong.