SPLITS and conflict are emerging in council after the sacking of chief executive Sharon Kelsey on Wednesday.
Seven councillors voted in favour of Ms Kelsey’s dismissal and five against.
The special meeting was chaired by deputy mayor Cherie Dalley because mayor Luke Smith did not attend.
After the meeting, councillors Jon Raven and Phil Pidgeon referred on Facebook to an investigation by the Crime and Corruption Commission.
In October, the CCC released its report on Operation Belcarra, held in response to complaints about the conduct of candidates at the 2016 local government elections.
That report said allegations about Cr Smith were still being finalised.
Cr Raven, who voted against Ms Kelsey’s dismissal, posted on Facebook the names of the councillors who had voted in favour.
In response to a Facebook user who referred to the CCC, Cr Pidgeon said he had “seen them (the CCC) last week”.
In response to a jibe by Cr Raven, Cr Pidgeon said: “For the record I am not under any investigation Councillor and you very well know that.
“I have simply been asked to convey any emails or communications I may have received to assist with another investigation which has nothing to do with me.
“I have nothing to hide.”
Cr Pidgeon said stability, not division, was important.
Cr Raven replied: “Stability would’ve been keeping the CEO instead of destabilising the council by having a revolving door of the leadership.”
Cr Pidgeon said stability was not about “smashing your colleagues and running them down in public”.
“Whilst we might disagree professionally on this, it is your actions of naming and attacking your colleagues publicly that is creating instability and dysfunction,” Cr Pidgeon said.
Regarding the debate on the decision being held in-camera during the council meeting, Cr Pidgeon said the confidentiality was no different to any other workplace.
“Whether a person is a lineworker, welder, groundsman or CEO, the same confidentiality exists for discussions around employement,” he said.
Councillors are bound by state government legislation not to use council information improperly.
Cr Pidgeon said later he was an independent councillor.
“Unlike some other councillors I am not a member of a political party and neither am I part of any clique or group of councillors,” he said.
Cr Pidgeon said he believed it would be in the public interest to disclose confidential documents on the matter and let voters make up their own minds.
“I think it would change the views of some critics but I am not allowed to. Sorry.”
Ms Kelsey was the council’s third chief executive in two years.
In 2016, Chris Rose resigned after a decade in the position and Andrew Milner resigned last year after less than seven months in the role.
A council spokesperson said council had resolved not to appoint Ms Kelsey to the role of chief executive officer after a six-month probationary period.
Road and water infrastructure director Silvio Trinca has been appointed interim chief executive.
