Toodyay shire councillors at their first meeting after the October elections.
New shire president to oversee council search
for replacement
By Michael Sinclair-Jones
TOODYAY will get a new shire CEO next year following the recent election of a new shire president and deputy.
Current Shire CEO Suzie Haslehurst informed Toodyay’s new council last month that she had withdrawn her earlier request to renew her employment contract when it expires next year.
It follows an October 21 shire election which saw the highest-polling candidate – new Shire Deputy President Shelly Dival – win office with a high-profile campaign for change.
Ms Haslehurst had informed the previous council in September – as required by her four-year 2020 contract – that she wanted to renew her employment contract next June.
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Councillors voted 7-1 on October 2 to recognise the “high rating” of Ms Halsehurst’s performance based on an annual independent review by Perth firm Price Consulting.
The motion was opposed by Cr Mick McKeown after a dispute with former shire president Rosemary Madacsi over meeting procedures.
Cr McKeown gained the support of Toodyay’s two new councillors five weeks later to defeat Cr Madacsi 4-3 in a secret ballot for the presidency which was held in the council chamber at a special meeting two days after the October shire election.
Former shire deputy president John Prater – who was re-elected after a 10-year absence – joined Crs Dival and Steve McCormick to vote for a new president.
Ms Haslehurst gave formal notice two weeks later that she had withdrawn her request for a new employment contract.
Councillors noted the new advice last month and directed Ms Haslehurst to seek at least three quotes from independent consultants to help find a new shire CEO.
It was proposed that President McKeown be the principal liaison between the recruiting agency and the council, with office support from Ms Haslehurst’s executive assistant.
Extra costs and fees – including a new CEO salary package – would be considered in the council’s mid-year budget review.
The recommendation was moved by Shire Deputy President Dival and carried 7-0.
Ms Haslehurst later declined to comment to The Herald about why she had withdrawn her request for a new employment contract.
The former York acting CEO was hired in 2020 to replace discredited former Toodyay shire CEO Stan Scott against whom 15 adverse findings were tabled in the WA Parliament after a year-long State Government inquiry.
Ms Haslehurst was required to implement major administrative reforms arising from the inquiry, manage faulty financial software contracted by her predecessor and budget for hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual loan repayments for a largely unused recreation centre built by the former council.
