A former staff has put his name in the hat to be Gore District Council's next chief executive. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
The search for Gore District Council's next chief executive is gathering steam after a former chief financial officer, who says he was pushed out, announced his intention to seek the top job.
Gore mayor Ben Bell said he hoped the unexpected publicity boost would help recruitment and from early next year the council could just get on with its work.
It had been almost two decades since Doug Walker last called Gore home.
But the UK-based accountant said he would happily come back to Southland to take over as Gore District Council's most senior unelected official.
"Gore is a special place for me, so I feel like Gore ratepayers have had a bit of a raw deal and obviously through the petitions and the protest, they're not happy about what's going on at the council," Walker said.
He worked at the Gore District Council from 2004 until 2006 and ended his time there as chief financial officer.
He said he was unsupported and bullied by chief executive Stephen Parry and ultimately felt pushed out of the job despite, in his view, doing excellent work.
His time at the council had motivated him to apply for the chief executive vacancy, but it had nothing to do with revenge, Walker said.
"I think part of it is redemption, just showing that what happened to me many, many years ago should never have happened."
But he also felt he had the skills to do the job successfully and turn around the council's finances.
If successful, he wanted to instil a positive and supportive work culture at the council, he said.
The nexus of the vacancy was the very public falling out between the Gore District Council's chief executive and mayor.
Parry had held the role since 2001.
Bell was elected over long-time incumbent Tracy Hicks in October last year.
The pair butted heads almost instantly, and by December were in mediation and not speaking.
That led to some councillors trying to get Bell to resign, while in response a public petition calling for Parry to go made its way to the council table.
Following what RNZ understood was a mediation process in June, Bell and the council apologised to Parry and in September he announced his resignation as chief executive.
But last month, a majority of councillors appointed him to take on an interim chief executive's role until a replacement was found.
Bell was not among those in favour.
But he told RNZ anyone could apply for the open role, including Parry.
"He's welcome to apply for it, just as much as anyone else," Bell said.
"But my impression - not speaking for Mr Parry, but my understanding from what other councillors have told me is that he's not interested in doing anything past this interim contract."
Ben Bell was elected as mayor in October last year. Photo: Supplied / Facebook
Parry told RNZ he had not even thought about applying for his former role, but if he was he would not be discussing it in the media.
"I'm focusing on the interim role to provide stability and continuity at this time," he said.
He did not want to comment further on the recruitment of a new chief executive.
Bell said, while somewhat surprised, he was pleased with the boost the recruitment drive had got through Doug Walker's public announcement.
"I'm actually really looking forward to seeing who will come forward and I'm hoping there's a gem in the rough out there that we can snatch up," Bell said.
It was hoped a new chief executive would be in place by early next year.
But would that be the end to the tension and in-fighting of the past 12 months?
"Never say never," Bell said, with a laugh.
"The people around the table are still the exact same. But, yes, hopefully we can all move on and see what the new chief executive brings to the table."
A petition calling for Parry to be removed from the interim chief executive role was expected to go to the council next week, as was a report on the recruitment process.