Albury Council chief executive Frank Zaknich offered four-year contract extension

The length of the deal is the same as his initial appointment in 2013 and will push out his time in the role beyond a decade.

In a major turnaround from Mr Zaknich's most recent contract extension of only 18 months, his future in the role has been secured in the same year councillors face re-election after local government elections were postponed for a year due to COVID-19

According to the council's 2019-20 annual report, Mr Zaknich salary package is worth $357,044 with other senior staff earning a combined $615,000.

The 2019 contract extension was decided by a 5-4 vote.

Last night the vote was again 5-4 with councillors David Thurley, Henk van de Ven, Graham Docksey and Alice Glachan being joined by Darren Cameron in voting for the longer tenure.

Cr van de Ven moved and Cr Thurley seconded the motion for the extension.

"He has got the runs on the board," Cr van de Ven said.

"We know we've got one of the best ceo's in NSW and there was no need to got to the market and spend $50,000 of ratepayers money trying to find someone better."

On the last two occasions Mr Zaknich's contract has been on the line, mayor Kevin Mack and deputy mayor Amanda Cohn both supported a shorter contract length.

Mr Zaknich originally joined Albury Council from Broken Hill.

IN OTHER NEWS

Meanwhile, councillors agreed to dip into its water and sewer fund to the tune of $1.8 million to ensure the artist workshop and maker space project at the historic Pumphouse building in East Albury goes ahead despite a push to hand back $1.3 million in NSW government funding already secured.

Extra funding was required to upgrade the heritage listed building.

Legal advice was provided to council that money from the city's water and sewer fund could be used to fix up the building.

But in pushing for the state government funding to be handed back,.Cr Murray King said $1.8 million could be better spent building eight public toilets.

"This is about austerity," he said.

"We've just come through the corona plague and everyone was talking about saving money."

Cr Thurley said blowouts were inevitable in upgrading old buildings.

"I owned a 130-year-old house in Tasmania and when I wanted to do work on it I never expected the builder to be precise within five or 10 per cent of his quote," he said.

"Handing back the money would be a crazy thing to do."

It was revealed the city's water and sewer fund was holding $60 million in cash and investments.

Cr John Stuchbery said stumping up an extra $1.8 million to keep $1.3 million from the state government wasn't a "great budgetary manoeuvre".

"The $1.8 million is highly likely to blowout given past record," he said.

Cr Alice Glachan disputed the suggestion and Cr Cohn said the creative arts sector had been one of the hardest hit during COVID-19.

"We want to achieve these projects or we don't," Cr Glachan said.

"It is a bonus we have been given funding to be able to do so."

The council received the state government funding for the project in 2018.

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