Wingecarribee Council general manager Lisa Miscamble looks to the future

Newly appointed Wingecarribee Shire Council general manager Lisa Miscamble discusses her plans for the Shire and for resetting the council.

Following an extensive and prolonged recruitment process, Lisa Miscamble has been appointed as the general manager for Wingecarribee Shire Council.

Ms Miscamble is an award-winning local government professional who is currently serving as general manager for Hunters Hill council.

Far from being intimidated by the embattled Wingecarribee council, the newly appointed general manager said she was looking forward to refocusing the organisation and making a positive difference.

“I have an open mind and I’m keen to look forward and reset the organisation,” she said.

“With challenge comes opportunity.”

Although Ms Miscamble doesn’t officially start the role until June 21, she emphasised her focus will be on understanding the residents of the Shire and the region itself to determine the best direction for council.

Wingecarribee Shire Council general manager Lisa Miscamble was appointed on Thursday 20 May 2021.

“My priority will be to get out and about in the community and to listen to what people have to say...really connecting with the community,” she said.

Ms Miscamble said respect was the key to eliminating barriers to having an effective council plan for the Shire.

“It comes down to, as a council, having a clear vision for how you want to see your places evolve and what is valued in those places,” she said.

Ms Miscamble has previously held senior positions at various councils, including Campbelltown City Council, City of Canada Bay Council, and Camden Council.

She believes her wealth of experience will be a valuable asset in dealing with the troubled Wingecarribee Council.

“The roles that I’ve filled have been in organisations that needed a refocus and a reset,” she said.

Lisa Miscamble said she is looking forward to making a positive difference to the Wingecarribee Shire.

Ms Miscamble pointed to her time at Camden Council from 2001 to 2007 as an didactic experience of a council going through drastic changes, and said she’s learned valuable lessons from her more than 25 years of local government experience.

“What I bring is that ability to bring people together and focus on a shared direction, a shared future,” she said.

The new general manager revealed her family hails from Cobargo, NSW and said her rural background helps her appreciate the unique challenges regional areas face, like the recent bushfires.

Ms Miscamble said she understands needs would vary around the Shire and that she would employ a “place-based” approach to council decisions which incorporated the needs of the community.

“(A vision for the council) is not one size fits all - it has to be driven by the community and the unique characteristics of the place,” she said.

“I’m not coming in with preconceived ideas.”

The selection panel’s decision was unanimous. Interim Administrator Viv May said Ms Miscamble’s substantial experience qualified her to guide the council through this tumultuous period.

Lisa Miscamble has been awarded the NSW Ministers Award for Women in Local Government Metropolitan and the LGMA Management Excellence Award for Management Innovation.

“I believe Ms Miscamble’s considerable knowledge, skills and experience will help restore the community’s confidence in the council and the effective functioning of the organisation,” he said.

Mr May had previously ordered the general manager position to be readvertised after a suitable candidate couldn’t be found in the large stack of applications.

He has repeatedly referred to the general manager appointment as “possibly the most important thing I will do in my time as interim administrator”.

Ms Miscamble said she was delighted to be appointed to lead the council at such a significant time.

“The Southern Highlands is a very special part of the world and I look forward to making a contribution to its future,” she said.

Ms Miscamble will officially start her role next month, on a five-year contract based on her performance. Her annual remuneration package totals $350,000, including superannuation and car, with a potential increase if her performance is highly regarded.

Another notable appointment to council is Marissa Racomelara, an expert in governance, transformation change, and organisational structure. She will perform the duties of acting general manager from June 15, until Ms Miscamble takes over on June 21.

At that time, Ms Racomelara will take the role of acting deputy general manager until after the September 4 elections.

Mr May said he would be working with the new general manager and acting deputy general manager to ensure the council’s operations are receptive for both staff and residents.

“Residents and staff may be assured that the new structure will focus on the community, not individuals,” he said.

Former GM Ann Prendergast left the position under “mutual agreement” in July 2020. Photo: WSC

The general manager announcement follows a prolonged and contentious debate around the position, which was vacated on July 29 last year by Ann Prendergast.

There were rallies at the beginning of the year which advocated for the deferral of the appointment until after the local government elections. However, now-suspended councillor Peter Nelson argued deferring the appointment would mean there was no one there to guide the council through the handover.

Most recently, acting general manager Barry Paull resigned from the role amid allegations of assault at a Moss Vale pub.

Mr May said the appointment of a new general manager would allow the council to accelerate the changes being effected at council.

“(W)e now start a new phase in the rebuilding of the council’s administration,” he said.