Council in ‘a process’ for CEO job

Five months on from the shock resignation of its chief executive, New Plymouth District Council has yet to publicly reveal how close it is to finding a replacement.

A spokesperson for the council said they were in the ‘‘midst of a process’’ and would not even comment on whether a shortlist for the job had been finalised.

The council has one remaining meeting for the year, on December 20, with the next scheduled meeting not until March 14.

The silence from the council followed a strict ‘‘no comment’’ about why former chief executive Craig Stevenson suddenly resigned in July following a work-related investigation into his conduct.

Since then the council appointed its communications manager, Jacqueline Baker, as acting chief executive before deciding to contract Miriam Taris to fly in and work three days a week in New Plymouth.

Last week the South Taranaki District Council announced it had appointed Fiona Aitken as chief executive. Her appointment followed the resignation in August of Waid Crockett, who left to take over as chief executive of Palmerston North City Council.

At the time of Taris’ appointment, New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom said she would not be seeking the job permanently.

Holdom said he hoped to have someone appointed to the position in December and hoped the new chief executive would be able to start by March.

At the council’s inaugural meeting on November 1, a chief executive’s performance review committee was approved to enable the recruitment process to proceed, with Holdom appointed to chair, along with deputy mayor David Bublitz and councillors Amanda Clinton-gohdes, Harry Duynhoven, Dinnie Moeahu and Marie Pearce.

No update reports were provided at the last council meeting on November 22.