In May the two councils were merged to form Western Plains Regional Council, and Mr Kneipp was appointed by the NSW government the oversee the body.

“When I started in this position I went around to staff and I said ‘I want it business as usual so the ratepayers who pay the rates get the service they’ve paid for, and to the good quality that they’ve always been in Wellington and Dubbo,” Mr Kneipp said.

“I’ve had very good feedback from the community to say that their development applications are being approved at a record rate. I appreciate the people working overtime to achieve that.

“Each time people turn on their tap their tap is working.”

In the month of June, 81 development applications were approved at the Dubbo branch of council, and six at the Wellington branch.

While he’ll only be in the position for 16 months, Mr Kneipp said it would take two or three years for the two councils to be fully merged.

The behind-the-scenes projects to have been completed during the two months include accepting a tender for a microwave link between Dubbo and Wellington’s administrative buildings, the development of new policies for the whole council and the investigation of a name change for the new local government area.

As a resident of Wellington for 34 years, and having worked in Dubbo for "at least a decade", Mr Kneipp has strong links to the community.

"I wouldn't say I have a high profile and I wouldn't say that I know Dubbo intricately, but I've got a sense of Dubbo, and obviously living in Wellington I've got a pretty intricate knowledge of Wellington," he said when he was appointed.

His resume includes roles within a Wellington school, Juvenile Justice, Wellington Correctional Centre, the Department of Land and Water Conservation, and Crown Lands.

Mr Kneipp will be the administrator at Western Plains Regional Council until September 2017.