Viv May, the administrator of Armidale Regional Council, has started meeting with the suspended councillors he replaced.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Armidale Express understands Mr May will be making a statement on Thursday, after he has met with them individually and has gained an insight into how the relationship between some councillors and council staff broke down.
The Express has spoken with several of the suspended councillors who all said Mr May contacted them at the beginning of this week to line up meetings with each of them.
READ MORE:
When we contacted the council to speak to Mr May, we were told he would not be speaking to the media, and we're referred to the statement that would come on Thursday.
His plan is not to be prominent, we were told, as he knuckles down and gets on with his duties.
"I propose to present a Minute detailing my role as Interim Administrator," Mr May said in last Friday's statement.
He said residents could be assured that he would do his best to independently serve in an honest, open and transparent way ensuring all community voices were heard.
After Mr May was named as the administrator, Adam Marshall described him as the right person for the job.
The Northern Tablelands MP said Mr May would not put up with any rubbish from anyone.
Before moving to Armidale, Mr Marshall was mayor of Gunnedah council, which was where he first met Mr May.
He said the state government had used the administrator, who was awarded a Public Service Medal more than 20 years ago, as a troubleshooter at councils.
During 2016 and 2017 Mr May was the administrator at Cumberland Council in western Sydney.
The suspension follows serious concerns about the council's ability to function properly and effectively following a breakdown of relationships between councillors and key council officers and significant reputational, legal and work, health and safety risks.
