Closed talks surround Goulburn Mulwaree GM Warwick Bennett's departure

The current corporate services director and longtime employee was elevated to the temporary role on Tuesday. Councillors discussed the arrangement in a closed session during a lengthy ordinary meeting on Tuesday.

It's not the first time Mr Hollands has fulfilled the acting post but the current appointment came as he was finalising the draft 2022/23 budget.

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Shock departure: Council chief leaves four months early

Warwick Bennett resigns as Goulburn Mulwaree Council GM

New GM's impressive CV

He will undertake duties until a replacement GM is found. Also in closed committee on Tuesday, councillors appointed Blackadder Associates from a field of four tenderers, to recruit for a permanent general manager.

Meantime, the fallout continues following Mr Bennett's sudden departure on Tuesday. It came four months ahead of schedule and just one month after councillors "accepted his resignation with regret." However in February he signalled his intention to stay until July 8 to finalise the budget.

Councillors agreed in another closed session at Tuesday's meeting that he would not perform any further work but would remain a contracted employee until July 8. This was in line with a confidential deed of release signed by both parties.

Mr Bennett's salary package totalled $350,000, according to the council's annual plan. His sooner than expected exit triggers a payout

Mayor Peter Walker has declined detailed comment about the exact circumstances of Mr Bennett's departure and what prompted his decision to leave early.

Former mayor and current councillor Bob Kirk said he was disappointed the GM had left earlier than planned.

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He has previously praised Mr Bennett as a progressive leader who "consistently exceeded the role's expectations."

Cr Kirk acknowledged the community's interest in the matter.

"Certainly I've had a lot of people asking the obvious questions of why and what happened, especially when everything was going so well," he said.

"It's not easy to give a reasonable answer because of the confidentiality. It is usual in the employment process to have that confidentiality but this is a very public role and it raises more questions in the community's minds than if it were private."

Cr Kirk expected some "momentary disruption" given that Mr Bennett's corporate knowledge, leadership and direction. But he pointed out that no one was irreplaceable.

In addition, the four council directors had kept abreast of major projects and issues.

"(Mr Bennett's departure) will have an impact on people's view of the place but the sun will still come up in the morning," Cr Kirk said.

Cr Andrew Banfield stood behind the confidential arrangements, saying it wasn't unusual for a CEO to be paid out for the term of their contract if they left early. It was also based on legal advice.

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"That's the way it is in the corporate world whether we like it or not. I don't think it does the community a disservice because a contract is a contract," he said.

He told The Post he only discovered at about 3pm Tuesday that Mr Bennett had left.

"We were all disappointed he was leaving but by the same token, it was his decision. We have to get on with it," Cr Banfield said.

"Why he chose Tuesday, I don't know. I don't think anything happened and from where I was sitting, it was business as usual. I was taken aback as to why but I don't have the answers."

He said he hadn't fielded any questions from the community yet but expected some in coming days. Cr Banfield believed the council was united and would continue the projects Mr Bennett had implemented.

Cr Dan Strickland said on Tuesday that while the council could be more transparent, there were times when discussions about staff had to be confidential.

"We owe it to employees to respect their privacy," he said.

Cr Strickland told The Post he didn't hold concerns about the process but would miss Mr Bennett's professionalism, leadership and passion for Goulburn Mulwaree.

"He's someone I could have learnt a lot from," he said.

"If our mayor is prepared to say more, it needs to come from him."

Meantime, council observer Barry McDonald said he was surprised by the GM's early departure.

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"(But) if all parties want to keep the terms confidential, I have no problem with that," he said.

"It just keeps people in the dark. As far as transparency I don't see an issue if parties want to keep it secret, unless something illegal occurred, which I don't believe was the case."

But Mr McDonald said he had concerns last September when councillors extended Mr Bennett's contract by six months to March, 2023. Cr Walker and former councillor, Margaret O'Neill voted against the move. Mr McDonald argued on Wednesday that this decision should have been left up to the new council, elected in December.

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