Kyogle Council: Chris White appointed interim general manager following resignation of Brett Kelly, dismissal of Graham Kennett
Censorship accusations and a petition calling for a North Coast council to be ousted came at a fiery meeting following the abrupt resignation of an interim general manager. Here’s why the community is up in arms.
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There were accusations of censorship and a petition calling on Kyogle Council to be dismissed at a fiery meeting following the abrupt resignation of the interim general manager.
Kyogle Council met for the first time following the announcement that interim general manager Brett Kelly would resign — only seven weeks after he was hired.
Mr Kelly was appointed in controversial circumstances following the dismissal of former longstanding general manager Graham Kennett.
At the meeting, councillor Janet Wilson alleged residents were denied public access and claimed that amounted to “censorship”.
She also circulated a public petition which called on the council to be dismissed.
Former Kyogle Mayor Ross Brown and Lismore City councillor Big Rob also added their voices to the controversy.
The pair spoke against a motion by councillor Maggie May to move discussion about the appointment of a new interim general manager into a confidential session.
“(The code of meeting practice guidelines) specifically warn against council using confidential as a method of screening their discussions from the community members,” Mr Brown said.
Cr Rob said he came to the meeting because Lismore council experienced too many changes in general managers, having torn through six in less than five years.
He said the appointment of a new general manager should be discussed as openly as possible with the community.
“To use confidentiality to stop public access is to me against everything we … stand for as a local government body – to be open, accessible and transparent, it’s none of those,” he said.
“Doing this in confidential everyone is going to gossip and everyone is going to assume what was said … it’s got to be done as publicly as you can”.
The majority of the council voted to move the discussion into a confidential session, with councillors Danielle Mulholland, John Burley, Janet Wilson and Hayden Doolan voting against the motion.
These four councillors also voted against sacking Mr Kennett, the former general manager, last December.
Councillor and former mayor Danielle Mulholland previously criticised the sacking.
In a widely shared Facebook post, she wrote: “I do not understand why this vendetta has been relentlessly prosecuted.”
She raised concerns about the hiring of Mr Kelly, claiming it “happened without the knowledge of at least four councillors”.
However, Mayor Kylie Thomas said the decision to terminate Mr Kennett’s contract boiled down to the council needing a leadership change.
“We wanted to bring an independent, flexible person who has ability to shift culture and apply appropriate leadership that best meets the needs and expectations of our community,” she said.
After Mr Kelly announced he would also be leaving the council on January 29, Ms Thomas told the Examiner the interim general manager did not resign because of the community backlash, characterising him as a “pillar of strength”.
She confirmed Mr Kelly had been offered another Brisbane-based job and had tendered his resignation on Monday.
“(Kyogle council) is still very much in transition,” she added.
At Monday’s council meeting, Chris White, the current director of planning and community development, was appointed acting general manager, with councillors Kylie Webster, Tom Cooper, Maggie May, Robert Cullen and James Murray voting in favour of the appointment.
Mr White will commence the role on February 23 and his will remain as general manager until a new one is hired.
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Originally published as Kyogle Council: Chris White appointed interim general manager following resignation of Brett Kelly, dismissal of Graham Kennett
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