Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein has suspended all 10 Glenorchy City Council aldermen for six months following a series of heated debates and dysfunction.
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Mr Gutwein announced on Wednesday former Central Coast Council Mayor Sue Smith would be appointed commissioner for six months.
The suspensions follow a history of disagreement between the aldermen and council staff and dissatisfaction from the public.
“Concerns were raised some time ago in respect to a range of complaints which were made by the community, by aldermen against other aldermen, by aldermen against staff,” Mr Gutwein.
“The behaviour at Glenorchy City Council has not improved.”
Mr Gutwein wrote to the council on January 27, giving aldermen one week to explain why they should not be suspended.
A Board of Inquiry process into the council was established in 2015, and is due to be completed in coming months.
“The outcome of the Board of Inquiry will obviously determine the fate of that council,” Mr Gutwein said.
“This is a difficult decision, the reason this decision has been taken by the government is because the interests of the Glenorchy community must be front and centre.
“Whilst a commissioner is in place there will be no amalgamations.”
Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston said that for the protection of the community, the right decision had been made.
“My paramount concern has always been the best interest of the community and serving them,” Alderman Johnston said.
“I will not rest until the job is done and the community can have confidence in its council again.
“It would have been very easy to just be the kind of mayor who opened things, kissed babies and rubber-stamped decisions.
“I don’t regret for a minute doing what was right and not what was easy.”
Mrs Smith said the Glenorchy rate payer would be paying for her role, from the aldermen’s package – more than $100,000 for the six month period.
“I need to sit down with the general manager, I need him to provide me with their strategic plan, their work plan, their budget,” she said.
“Local government doesn’t stop providing services for the community so it is important then that we all work together out there so we start to formulate a new budget for the coming year.
“I believe, as a courtesy, one of the first actions I’ll implement next week is to invite all of the aldermen in at different times to sit down in an office and have a conversation with me.”
Deputy Mayor Harry Quick said he was bitterly disappointed with the decision.
“The reasons given by the minister didn’t warrant suspension and potential dismissal,” Alderman Quick said.
“It’s all up in the air – all we know is we haven’t got a job for six months.
“When you’ve got 10 people you’ve got to work collaboratively with people and listen to their points of view.”
In September last year, the Huon Valley Council was sacked following arguments between councillors and the general manager.
