‘Disillusioned’: Retired ex-GM Ray Smith compelled to run for mayor after observing council

What could draw a man with five decades of experience in local government out of retirement to run for council? Ray Smith is just one of the Clarence Valley candidates vying for mayor.

The Clarence Valley Council building on Prince St at Grafton.

What could draw a man with five decades of experience in local government out of retirement to run for council again?

Ray Smith, former general manager of 30 years at Grafton City Council, said it was because he was “disillusioned” and wanted to make change.

Mr Smith said when he returned to Grafton in 2022, he observed the workings of the now-Clarence Valley Council and felt disappointed.

“I observed factions in the council and it impedes good decision making and that in turn is detrimental to the community it’s representing,” he said on the back of the NSW Local Government elections on Saturday.

“There was a continuation of voting blocks by four members that became a regular occurrence.

Ray Smith, who has about 50 years of local government experience, has been polling well – and he’d like to be Clarence Valley’s mayor.

“I noticed that people would vote for something if the other side voted against it and vice-versa, so they weren’t voting with their conscience or for the benefit of the Clarence Valley.”

Mr Smith has been performing well in NSW Electoral Commission counting. As of about 11am on Thursday, he was ranked fourth in the first preference vote count (7.90 per cent) behind Cristie Yager (14.93 per cent), Peter Johnstone (12.15 per cent) and Greg Clancy (9.33 per cent). Shane Causley ranked a close fifth (7.75 per cent).

Mr Smith said he would be throwing his hat in the ring on the basis of his experience when councillors decide the mayor internally on October 9.

Less than 40 of NSW’s near-130 local councils re-elect mayors publicly, rather than in-house.

Apart from Mr Smith’s time as general manager (GM) at the Grafton council from 1993 to 2004, he also worked as Cobar Shire Council GM from 2004 to 2010 and Bland Shire Council GM from 2010 to 2022, before he “retired”.

“I understand the legislation, the meeting procedures, the code of conduct and in my time in local government I would have attended and participated in well over 400 council meetings,” he said.

“I’ll be going in to council not looking at the past and looking to the future and using my experience to develop a teamwork approach.”

Mr Smith said the community were “loud and clear” about a “lack of genuine engagement” from leaders before the council election.

Cristie Yager, Violet Yager and Bella Yager on Saturday.

Engaging with the community is something that has seen newcomer Cristie Yager skyrocket to a favourite in the polls by Thursday morning.

She had almost three per cent more of the vote than last term’s mayor, Mr Johnstone at about 11am.

Mr Johnstone and Mr Smith agreed Ms Yager worked hard to achieve the results and she had engaged in a long campaign in which she was out and about meeting voters.

Mr Johnstone, who has been pushing for mayoralty again on October 9, said Ms Yager has attended “probably more community events than most councillors”.

He said the new council would continue to “get out and meet people” and the organisation initiated ‘listening tours’ last term.

“It’s when you meet people that you really understand their situation and it helps in the decision making process,” Mr Johnstone said.

Peter Johnstone is keen to continue on as Clarence Valley mayor. Picture: Supplied

Mr Johnstone has only been mayor for one term and he believed the election of another candidate would create “instability”.

“That would be three mayors in three years and it would be a great pity for someone else to start again,” he said.

Another Clarence hopeful is Greg Clancy, who has aired his desire to take on the deputy mayor role, which he has held before.

“I’ve got the experience, the ability and the background and I enjoyed it very much last time,” he said.

Mr Clancy has been a councillor for eight years and was deputy from January 2022 to September 2023. Jeff Smith then took on the deputy role, but he did run for council in 2024.

Greg Clancy wants to be deputy. Picture: Supplied

Mr Clancy described himself as the “Green in a national party heartland” and said he was thrilled to be doing well in the count.

Echoing Ray Smith, Mr Clancy spoke of problems due to a “divided” council before the election.

“It’s been an extremely difficult two terms,” Mr Clancy said.

He said the culture in council needed to be worked on despite an Audit Review and Improvement Committee investigation.

“I don't’ believe it dealt with the claims of bullying to the degree that it should have,” he said Mr Clancy declined to elaborate on supposed bullying.

He said he was hopeful new councillors could work well together and be “collegiate”.

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