After more than six months with interim managers at the helm, Council is expected to have a new leader by this time next month. 

A position vacant advertisement has been circulating since June 11, with applications to close at 5pm on Wednesday. 

Recruitment company Blackadder Associates has been contracted for the task of hiring the new manager.  

At Monday’s ordinary meeting, councillors endorsed the recruitment process and heard Fit For the Future proposals halted proceedings. 

“Council has been operating under the leadership of acting general managers since January 2016 because of … the merger proposal lodged by Armidale Dumaresq Council and the implications of the proposal period…,” acting general manager George Cowan said in a report to Council. 

“Now that the proposal period has ended, the process of recruiting a new general manager has recommenced.”

The position vacancy advertisement calls for an “innovative and energetic” person to fill the role. 

“As the general manager, you will have extensive experience at an executive level, strong financial skills and knowledge and awareness of the current local government environment,” the advertisement says. 

While a recruitment company has been brought in for the hiring, Council will have an input in which candidates will progress to the interview stage. 

“In order for this process to work smoothly, I am recommending that Council establish a recruitment committee of four councillors and delegate authority to the committee to assist Blackadder and Associates carry out the shortlisting,” Mr Cowan said.

Mayor Michael Pearce, Deputy Mayor Bob Crouch and Councillors Isabel Strutt and Daphne Field were recommended to sit on the shortlisting committee. 

The four councillors will select potential candidates for the role from applications, and present the list to Council.

Interviews for the role are expected to take place on July 18, with an extraordinary meeting scheduled for that date. 

It is expected the successful candidate will be appointed at that meeting.