SIMMERING tension between Albury mayor Alice Glachan and Cr Henk van de Ven has surfaced again over how much the council will pay its new general manager.
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The two councillors have been mayoral rivals for the past four years and on Monday night they locked horns regarding the salary package to attract a suitable replacement for outgoing general manager, Les Tomich.
Cr van de Ven proposed a lesser amount than the recommended salary range of $280,000 to $300,000.
He pushed for $240,000 to $260,000, with an additional amount set aside for performance bonuses.
But Cr Glachan moved an amendment that the recommended range be adopted. The vote was carried 5-3 with the support of councillors Daryl Betteridge, Patricia Gould, Graham Docksey and Ross Jackson.
Cr van de Ven was backed by deputy mayor Kevin Mack and Cr Darren Cameron, with Cr David Thurley an apology from the meeting called in the wake of the Mr Tomich’s recent resignation.
Cr van de Ven raised his concern about Cr Glachan moving an amendment as chairwoman of the meeting.
“Your role is to chair the council meeting and not to be moving amendments,” he said.
“That is my personal view and I believe the (local government) Act backs that up.”
Cr Glachan didn’t respond.
Cr van de Ven said the wage being offered for general manager wouldn’t be the primary reason someone would apply.
“This would be a city people would give their eye teeth to move to as far as a general manager’s position is concerned,” he said.
“I don’t believe any amount of money is going to guarantee you are going to get the best person.
“Part of the remuneration package the (former) general manager enjoyed was because of the level of skill and knowledge he had acquired of Albury City over a long period.
“The range suggested in the report doesn’t leave a lot of room to provide those incentives.”
The recommended renumeration of the next general manager was raised in a report by Murray Watson from the human resources department.
“Right at this point in time my professional view is we would be looking at a range of $280,000 to $300,000 to secure a general manager of the calibre we would be looking for,” Mr Watson said.