MEDIA RELEASE 8 October 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN COUNCILLORS' THREAT TO SACK
KU-RING-GAI COUNCIL's GENERAL MANAGER, JOHN McKEE Councillors are expected to terminate Ku-ring-gai Council's general manager's contract at an Extraordinary Meeting of Council to be held on Saturday 9 October at 7pm. This is at odds with a recent council resolution that endorsed the renewal of John McKee's contract and one that recognised his high key performance indicator rating. More surprising is that this 'plot' is only weeks before council goes into caretaker mode before the local government elections on 4 December. It is also most disturbing that the councillors who are pushing for this extraordinary meeting have not revealed the reasons for this drastic action. Mrs Kathy Cowley, President of Friends of Ku-ring-gai Environment (FOKE), said: “This is an unprecedented and destabilising action by a group of councillors. Why would a council, who is about to go into caretaker mode in four weeks dump their general manager? This extraordinary council meeting is sudden, unaccountable and lacks public scrutiny. It raises concerns that local democracy is being sabotaged.”
Ms Jill Green, President of STEP Inc, the local environment group, said: “The general manager has extensive experience running a highly regarded local council that has won many awards for its governance and initiatives. We need to know the justification for this action to terminate the general manager's contract, when only two months ago these same councillors endorsed the renewal of Mr McKee's contract.”
Mrs Christine Drake NTAG Inc, North Turramurra community group president said: “I am dismayed by the actions of certain councillors who want to terminate an extremely capable and well respected general manager. Two months ago, Council voted to approve the renewal of the John McKee’s contract who had just received a high rating in a key performance review. He has proven to be a unifying influence during various periods of instability at Ku-ring-gai Council including critical periods such as the state government proposed mergers when he warned that council mergers would result in their unstable financial position. To lose someone of integrity in this way has to make one speculate. Who is pulling the strings and why? Possible payback over the state government mergers debacle? Or a way to get a development driven council? Even the timing of this action seems suspect - only two months after renewing the general manager’s contract and two months until council elections. You have to wonder.”
Mrs Christiane Berlioz ex-St Ives Councillor said: “Reports that the GM is to be victim of dismissal by the new Mayor Cedric Spencer elected for a three-month term and his faction are shocking. Changing the GM and destabilising council operations two months before all councillors’ face re-election is disgraceful. The motives of the councillors behind this coup are questionable.”
END OF COMMUNITY MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED BY KATHY COWLEY,
JILL GREEN, CHRISTINE DRAKE AND CHRISTIANE BERLIOZ |
