FAILURE to show Armidale Mayor Laurie Bishop the executive toilet was among reasons cited behind the breakdown in his relationship with general manager Shane Burns, councillors have confirmed.
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According to several councillors present at both closed meetings, Cr Bishop said he was not told about the toilet’s existence for at least a fortnight after being elected mayor last September.
The councillors claim Cr Bishop gave this as an example of how Mr Burns did not make him feel welcome when he was elected mayor.
The Mayor wants to sack Mr Burns and last week used his casting vote at two extraordinary meetings to pass a three-part mayoral minute aimed at this.
Yesterday, the Division of Local Government NSW, which looks after the interests of local councillors, said it was aware mediation had been sought over the matter and it was monitoring the situation.
Cr Bishop denied he wanted to sack Mr Burns, but had sought mediation between himself, Mr Burns and Deputy Mayor Jenny Bailey.
Should that not work, he would negotiate “the early termination of the general manager’s contract of employment”, according to the second part of his mayoral minute.
Cr Bishop said after the meetings: “The relationship [between the mayor and general manager] is not as effective and cooperative as it should be and I am striving for a better relationship for the sake of the community.”
But Mr Burns said he had been denied natural justice and proper process had not been followed.
He said he would be happy to seek mediation, however, he first sought resolution to a code of conduct issue levelled at Cr Bishop by Mr Burns before last Monday’s closed meeting.
“I was given a performance review just last year and that was deemed to be most satisfactory,” Mr Burns said.
“I have not been told the reasons for any breakdown in our relationship.”
Meanwhile, councillors have expressed concern that should Mr Burns’s contract be terminated, Council could face a payout of more than $100,000, since the general manager’s contract does not expire until September.
Rob Richardson, who voted against the mayoral minute, said the action had destabilised and demoralised Council staff and could have been avoided.
“Shane [Burns] has a superb knowledge of many significant issues which will come before Council in coming months, including the proposed data centre, the landfill project and the development of industrial land at the airport,” Cr Richardson said.
“It would be best for him to see these projects through.”
