Spiller may yet have a turn in the firing line
KELVIN Spiller has had plenty of say in countless local government jobs, but it’s clear he doesn’t like talking all that much about his own.
The man who was once dubbed the “Blood Spiller” has overseen the biggest shake-up in the City of Greater Geelong’s history.
Ignore the myth that Geelong’s mayor and 12 councillors were ruthlessly dispatched while department leaders and staff escaped the Government’s glare.
While it’s true they avoided a swift and highly publicised execution, in reality many council officers have been quietly moved on or have resigned under Mr Spiller’s reign as CEO.
The mass exodus led to a 30 per cent change in senior leadership over the year to June, with planning boss Peter Bettess adding his name to the departed last week.
While not passing judgment on any individual, it is clear that fresh talent was needed to tackle the council’s deep-seated cultural problems head on.
As identified through the incendiary Commission of Inquiry, council staff were both victims and perpetrators of bullying and harassment, and managers were reluctant to properly deal with both sides. There was also poor staff morale, an acceptance of underachievement, a lack of discipline and an entrenched silo culture.
It’s been a lot for Mr Spiller and the administrators to deal with, and strengthens the argument of those who would see the election pushed back at least a year.
The incoming council will be responsible for seeing through three-quarters of the “transformation initiatives” started in the wake of the mass sacking in April 2016.
Much like the massive overhaul in structure, 16 months later the organisation remains in flux.
The planning and city service director roles are still to be permanently filled, and leaders are still finding their feet in eight new or modified management positions. There just hasn’t been enough time to make lasting change.
Amid the changes, Mr Spiller has been the one constant.
He is a controlled man for a chaotic time.
Before he arrived in mid2015 he’d already overseen a council merger, the creation of a new shire and spent nine turbulent months in charge of the dysfunctional City of Wangaratta.
While he is contracted until October next year, he faces an interesting period later this year when 11 councillors come back to City Hall.
He faces the prospect of working with many of the councillors who were sacked last year — and it is well known that they didn’t leave on the best of terms with their CEO.
When quizzed by the Geelong Advertiser on his own intentions, Mr Spiller had just 13 words to say — and the majority of those were “no further comment other than above”.
At this stage his public position is that he intends to see out his contract.
But Mr Spiller’s actions have always spoken louder than his words.
And unlike multiple managers he has seen out on to Gheringhap St, this might be one job he doesn’t have the final say over.