Gunnedah Shire Council’s director planning and environmental services, Michael Silver, has signalled his intention to leave local government by September next year.
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Mr Silver is planning to take extended leave in the second half of 2015 and said he would make a decision on his future at the end of the year.
“I have indicated I probably won’t be employed in local government post-September 2016 when the next council election is held,” Mr Silver said.
After making his intentions clear to council, late last year it approved a recommendation to budget $140,000 per year to cover the leave period as well as facilitate “succession planning and a smooth transition of this key position within council’s structure”.
“It is considered prudent to engage suitably qualified personnel to not only cover the extended leave of this key position within council, but to also enable council to undertake appropriate measures to plan for the incumbent’s succession,” council’s December business paper stated.
“The requested estimate is targeted at employment of an individual by council. Should this not be able to be achieved, and council is required to seek temporary appointment through an agency for the same period, it is likely that the costs would be significantly higher.”
Mr Silver will have worked for Gunnedah Shire Council for 42 years in June and said he would like to see the Blackjack Creek mitigation and Gunnedah pool upgrade projects come to fruition – potentially beginning in the middle of this year – before stepping down.
He said serving the community in his role as director planning and environmental services had been
one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.
“What I have enjoyed is working with the community and helping create a community which is
I think well serviced, well supported by the council and works with the community and with
the people.”
Mr Silver has listed the management of the nursing home and design project, the creative arts centre, and The Civic (securing $2 million in federal funding), as some of his biggest achievements during his time in local government.