ALBURY Council general manager Frank Zaknich has been granted a bigger pay rise than the one originally agreed to four months ago.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A 4 per cent increase was thrashed out behind closed doors at the final council meeting of the year.
It followed a recision motion tabled by three councillors including mayor Kevin Mack.
In August the council agreed to increase Mr Zaknich’s pay by 2 per cent.
But Cr Mack, former deputy mayor Henk van de Ven and Cr Darren Cameron instigated the recission motion asking for a review of the general manager’s $287,000 package based on the results of his 2013-14 review.
Cr David Thurley was an apology at the August meeting, but the full complement of nine councillors were present last night.
Four months ago Cr van de Ven moved and Cr Cameron seconded a 4 per cent increase for Mr Zaknich.
But the motion was lost and Cr Daryl Betteridge moved and Cr Graham Docksey seconded a 2 per cent increase.
Cr van de Ven asked for his vote against the secondary motion be recorded in the minutes of the August meeting.
The recission motion lodged by Cr Mack, Cr van de Ven and Cr Cameron was received in late November ahead of the three-month deadline.
Mr Zaknich joined Albury Council from Broken Hill and is in the second year of an initial four-year contract.
He is also entitled to a NSW government mandated increase for public service senior executives.
The council is on target to achieve savings of $3.5 million across all areas of council before the next local government elections in 2016.
It recorded an unexpected $1.2 million surplus for 2013-14 with the improved result attributed to an operating surplus for the water and sewer funds.
The council has also introduced water flow restrictors on properties where there is a significant amounts of money owing.
It is aiming to re-coup more than $1 million in unpaid bills.
Albury has also reduced its number of directors from five to four with chief financial officer Justin Finlayson replacing former finance director Judy Charlton.