City CEO Tim Baker to get four year extension on $700,000 annual contract

The Gold Coast’s top bureaucrat is to get an extended contract after unanimous backing from all councillors but it contains secret performance requirements.

The Gold Coast’s top bureaucrat - City CEO Tim Baker - is getting an extension after unanimous councillor backing, with a contract containing secret performance requirements.

Mayor Tom Tate has been giving authority, after backing of all councillors, to negotiate a new four-year deal to be agreed to by both parties and signed off by lawyers.

Mr Tate told councillors at their full meeting on Tuesday: “We had a detailed discussion. In essence I’ve been asked to go ahead and negotiate a contract for four years with the CEO, in terms you’ve outlined to me and will do.”

The Mayor did not elaborate on those conditions, but sources suggested they included a renewed focus on streamlining and ongoing reform of council administration.

Latest annual reporting shows the CEO earns $600,000-$700,000 a year in a $4 million-plus nine-member council executive team.

“I’m excited and honoured the Mayor and councillors have seen fit to allow me to serve this wonderful city for four more years,” Mr Baker said.

Gold Coast City Council CEO Tim Baker.

“While our organisation has undergone significant transformation over the past three years, there is still a lot of work to do, and I remain focused on the task at hand.

“Three years ago, I had an outsider’s view of what the Gold Coast is. I now consider it my home and I am more committed than ever to making the lives of Gold Coasters better every day.”

The renewal of his contract was the last item after a marathon nine-hour final full council meeting for 2024. Debate behind closed doors took an hour.

Before going into closed, Southport councillor Brooke Patterson raised a potential conflict of interest.

In July, Ms Patterson who faced 11 complaints from City staff about her behaviour, accused the CEO of leading a “witch hunt” against her.

Ms Patterson also claimed on Facebook the administration was leaking information about her and Mr Baker’s council reforms had removed experienced executives who were not “yes men”.

Flashback: Councillor Brooke Patterson and City CEO Tim Baker at the Gold Coast Economic Health Check Forum. Picture: Celeste Humphrey.

The City said in response at the time the suggestion Cr Patterson had been muzzled “is false” and she had been provided with clear guidelines on undertaking duties including phoning staffers on urgent matters.

Mr Baker as CEO is required to follow up staff complaints and ensure proper working arrangements.

“I raise it for my fellow councillors to consider. I don’t consider that I have a declarable conflict of interest,” Ms Patterson told councillors.

“I just want to raise it in case people did think that. If you had a sense of my relationship based on what you read on the front page of the Gold Coast Bulletin, you might think we are sworn enemies.

“In my experience, I feel like I have a healthy, robust working relationship. Not that that has anything to do with this or not, but whether I can be open and persuadable. It is important to know.”

Mayor Tom Tate said: “Let me ask you this, have you got open and persuadable?”

Ms Patterson replied: “I have an open and persuadable mind.”

Southport councillor Brooke Patterson organising a community meeting about the Cotlew-Wardoo streets roadworks at Ashmore.

Mr Tate said Ms Patterson has shown an “abundance of caution”. Councillors agreed for her to take part.

The CEO was responsible for the new organisational structure backed by councillors in November last year, reducing departments from eight to seven.

Mr Baker embarked on the biggest top brass shake up at City Hall in almost three decades, including a global campaign to recruit four senior executives

In the latest annual review, in its introduction, he said his future plans were to “review and improve our work processes to deliver efficiency dividends and reinvest back into our frontline services, allowing us to do more for our community”.

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