Mr Giffin is currently the director of organisational performance, but has held numerous roles within the organisation.

On behalf of he community and council, Dubbo mayor Ben Shields said he wanted to say a big thank you for his service.

"There are very few people out there who have the high level of professionalism that you have. You've really set the gold standard when it comes to professionalism in a job," Cr Shields said.

ALSO MAKING NEWS:

"The community of Dubbo is in total debt to you for what you've done, not just in the director role but all those multiple levels you've had over the years."

Councillor Dayne Gumley was also full of praise for the director.

"It hasn't been particularly easy for someone who is trying to balance the books on this term of council with amalgamation and drought and then COVID," he said.

"As somebody who is a new councillor, this is my first term, for the first 12 to 18 months I can say personally the level of professionalism and support when I had certain questions or didn't understand something or had an idea I wanted to float by was much appreciated."

The councillors had nothing but compliments and praise for Mr Giffin.

But speaking at his last council meeting, Mr Giffin also wanted to recognise the councillors themselves.

"Thirty-eight years is certainly a long time to be working with one organisation although I've had obviously many many changes over that particular period of time. This is the third elected council I've had the pleasure of working with and I'd like to recognise you guys for putting your hands up and working so hard for the community," the director said.

"You put a lot of your own private and personal time for a lot of it for not much recognition and quite a bit of unnecessary criticism."

Cr Shields, and the rest of the councillors, said they wished Mr Giffin very well in his retirement in Noosa.