WELL-respected Hepburn chief Evan King has become the chosen one to lead City of Ballarat into calmer waters.
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City of Ballarat councillors approved Mr King's appointment as the City's chief executive officer in an unscheduled, virtual meeting on Wednesday night.
Mr King has held the CEO position for Hepburn Shire since late July 2018.
He has been welcomed in to the City of Ballarat with a unanimous vote from councillors and will start the job on February 15. The Courier understands Mr King was watching the council meeting's live broadcast at home with his wife and three daughters.
City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney said appointing a CEO was one of the most significant roles for an elected council - it was the only position for which council could hire and fire.
Cr Moloney said councillors were particularly impressed with Mr King's experience in local government and business and social sectors.
While we have reached out nationally, I think it's a bit of a credit to our region that we do have significant talent that lives here and can mix it with the best of the nation.
- Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney
"While we have reached out nationally, I think it's a bit of a credit to our region that we do have significant talent that lives here and can mix it with the best of the nation," Cr Moloney said."...I'm really looking forward to a positive and proactive 2021 as our city starts to recover and deliver some major projects."
Mr King takes succeeds Janet Dore, who returned to the chief role in an interim position from early June. This followed the sacking of chief Justine Linley as a result of a scathing Ombudsman's report tabled in May. Ms Linley had been in the top job for four years.
Under Ms Dore's six-month interim leadership every director at the council was replaced and a special investigation, commissioned into the council culture, also found an adverse finding.
This is the council Mr King has now been chosen to lead.
Mr King arrives with local government experience in executive roles as Pyrenees Shire Council's corporate and community services director and Hepburn Shire's corporate services general manager.
He also has extensive experience in manufacturing and held senior management positions with Mars, Bendix Mintex and the Salvation Army. Mr King is on the Women's Health Grampians leadership team for Communities of Respect and Equality.
Hailing from the small Southern Mallee town of Beulah, Mr King earned a business degree from Federation University and is a certified practicing accountant and graduate from Australian Institute of Company Directors.
He is also a decorated athlete.
Mr King is a four-time Stawell Gift finalist. He fell 0.01 seconds short of winning Australia's richest footrace off the 6.25-metre mark in 1997 - an Easter Monday that still haunts him to this day.
He is also president of Ballarat Athletic Club, which runs the Ballarat Gift professional running meet, and an avid cyclist.
Cr Moloney said council's appointed recruiting firm took the CEO search national. There were more than 30 applicants from across Victoria and interstate.
Councillor and former Ballarat mayor Samantha McIntosh said Mr King was respected for his strong collaborative approach, particularly in lobbying at state and federal levels of government and his work in the Central Highlands Regional Partnership.
Cr McIntosh said it was important for the City of Ballarat to move forward "with fresh confidence" and she felt Mr King's great ability to work across politics would be vital.
IN OTHER NEWS
Cr Moloney also paid tribute to Janet Dore as "one of the most incredible people in Australia" to step in on short notice and lead the City through a restructure process in a tumultuous year and amid a global pandemic.
"Janet is an absolute superstar and got us through a difficult period with great integrity and professionalism," Cr Moloney said.
It is unclear the length of Mr King's appointed tenure, but previous reports in The Courier suggested it would likely be five years.
OMBUDSMAN COVERAGE: TIMELINE
May 14 The report is tabled
- City of Ballarat ombudsman report: 'jobs for mates' allegations regarding Ballarat Council executives
- Ombudsman report into Ballarat council: councillors express disappointment
- Ombudsman report into City of Ballarat: Councillors told to scrutinise CEO behaviour
- City of Ballarat ombudsman report: The intriguing finer details
- Ombudsman's report into Ballarat Council: What next for council officers?
May 16
- ANALYSIS: Troubled waters at town hall
May 18, 2020: Resignation and sacking
May 19: Mayor Ben Taylor talks about Justine Linley's sacking
May 21: Price fixing links of acting CEO confirmed
May 24: Fresh doubts published over recruitment processes/ Fall out continues over decision to terminate Justine Linley's CEO contract
May 28: Push for new interim CEO
June 10: New CEO announced
June 12: First day of new interim CEO, Janet Dore
June 18: Directors jobs to be re-advertised
June 29: Director of business services resigns
July 7: Director Cameron Cahill resigns
July 23: Changes to procurement
July 28: Another director goes
August 2: 'More than half way there'
August 11: Last director resigns
August 27:CEO recruitment begins
September 2: New appointments
September 10: New director of infrastructure and environment
September 11:Final director roles filled
September 17:Cultural review
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