Seven Armidale Regional Councillors have called two extraordinary meetings in as many months.
The first was to request mayor Simon Murray to stand down, which he refused to do.
Advertisement
The same seven councillors now want Chief Executive Officer Susan Law sacked.
RELATED READING:
The mayor said the motion, which was sent to him calling for an extraorindary meeting, contained the signatures of the seven councillors, Ian Tiley, Margaret O'Connor, Debra O'Brien, Jon Galletly, Peter Bailey, Andrew Murat and Dorothy Robinson.
The request was confirmed by Cr Debra O'Brien who said she could make no further comment about it, but it cites a lack of confidence as being the reason for calling for the CEO's dismissal, and also calls for Cr Ian Tiley to be appointed as the "leader" of the council.
Cr Murray said he did not know why the latter clause, concerning Cr Tiley, was included, as he said a council's mayor was its leader.
"It says so in the Local Government Act," he said.
"Chapter 9 Part 2 Division 2 Section 226 "... The role of the mayor is as follows- (a) to be the leader of the council and a leader in the local community ..."
"We can't have two mayors. I am the leader of council."
Under the Act, a mayor elected by councillors holds office for two years, and Councillors elected Cr Murray as mayor about five months ago, to take this council to the end of this term in September.
Crs Tiley, Murat and Cr Bailey declined to further explain reasons for the move to sack the CEO and try and replace the mayor.
Deputy mayor Libby Martin said she was shell-shocked and disappointed by the move.
"I feel sad for our region because I think our CEO has done a tremendous job and we're very lucky to have her," Cr Martin said.
"It disappoints me greatly that some people with a different agenda don't agree.
"Remember Gough Whitlam's quote? Well, I think God save the Queen, because nothing will save the Armidale Regional Council if this goes through. Susan's made some difficult decisions to turn around the difficult position our council was in."
Cr Jon Galletly said he had no comment to make.
Cr Di Gray said council staff had managed the drought with the single purpose of serving the community.
Advertisement
"They have worked over and above and gone all out to make sure we were conserving water so it lasted longer," she said.
Cr Brad Widders said he had not sighted the request and said he could not comment its specifics.
He said three years ago, councillors ran on a promise that change would come and it has not.
"We're putting up with the same rubbish now, and the community's sick of it," he said.
"We've just got the same crap again from people who think they're more important than the rest of the community."
Advertisement
