DUBBO City Council needs to get “the best bang for its buck” by advertising for a general manager.
That’s the view of prominent development company executive Mark Stanford as councillors consider who should hold Dubbo’s top local government job.
Mark Riley has been Dubbo City Council general manager since November 2004 and is in the process of serving his second four-year term (due to expire on November 11 this year).
Mr Riley is seeking reappointment to the position and council has resolved to engage a professional team from the Local Government and Shires Association to facilitate a workshop to review the matter on March 5. A determination will be made in confidence at an extraordinary council meeting on March 12.
Mark Stanford, a major stakeholder in Dubbo’s residential and commercial sectors, believes council should advertise Mr Riley’s position “to see who else is available in the marketplace”.
Mr Stanford is a director of the company developing the 38-hectare former RAAF site. His company has 800 residential lots under construction across Dubbo and more than 50,000 square metres of business space.
“Andorra Developments is constantly putting applications before Dubbo City Council so I am sticking my neck out by going public with my views on the general manager’s job,’’ Mr Stanford said.
“I am not making a comment on Mr Riley’s performance or his ability to help Dubbo move forward,’’ Mr Stanford said.
“I am simply highlighting the need for council to adopt good business practice by advertising for the best person to do the job.
“The dynamics of Dubbo are changing and our city council needs to be led by an executive-style person who can deliver the right product.
“It seems strange business practice to consider automatically reappointing the general manager of an organisation as big as council.
“If Mr Riley is worth the money he receives he should be happy to measure up against other executives in the marketplace.’’
The Dubbo City Council annual report lists the general manager’s salary for the 2010/11 financial year as $255,557 (inclusive of fringe benefit tax, private use of a council vehicle and employer’s superannuation contributions).
According to Mayor Mathew Dickerson, the general manager is employed as a senior staff member in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993.
“The act states the term of a contract must not be less than 12 months or more than five years,’’ Mayor Dickerson said.
“The Division of Local Government Department of Premier and Cabinet has a set of guidelines for the appointment and oversight of general managers.
“It states that at least nine months before the contract expiry (or six months if the term of employment is for less than three years) the general manager must apply to council in writing if seeking re-appointment to the position.
“Review of the general manager’s contract is the responsibility of the governing body of council (mayor and councillors).
“The guidelines advise that council respond to the general manager in writing at least six months before the contract expiry (or three months if the term of employment is for less than three years) of its decision to either offer a new contract of employment (and on what terms) or decline re-appointment.’’
The process of deciding whether or not to offer the general manager a new contract includes:
n a performance review with findings and recommendations reported to a closed council meeting in the absence of the general manager;
n the closed meeting considers and decides whether or not to offer a new contract and on what terms as set out in the schedules to the contract;
n the general manager is advised of the governing body of council’s decision in confidence by the mayor;
n details of a decision to offer a new contract and a salary package are reported to an open council meeting.
The guidelines advise that the general manager notify council in writing of a decision to either accept or decline any offer made by council at least three months before the contract expiry (or one month if the term of employment is for less than three years).
“In the event the general manager accepts an offer by council to enter into a new contract of employment, a new contract of employment will be signed,’’ Mayor Dickerson said.
At a meeting on December 19 last year council congratulated Mr Riley on a “more than satisfactory” level of performance following an appraisal committee review.
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