By HARRY CLARKE
FOLLOWING a rigorous, three month recruitment process, the Western Downs Regional Council (WDRC) has formally appointed Jodie Taylor as the administration’s new Chief Executive Officer.
Ms Taylor, who has served as Acting CEO since the resignation in August of her predecessor Ross Musgrove, was formally inducted into the role by unanimous vote at a council meeting in Dalby.
The process of recruiting the WDRC’s new CEO was outsourced to an external, Brisbane-based agency by a special committee established by the council.
A resolution was made at today’s council meeting that Ms Taylor would serve in the role for five years, overseeing a local government with more than 700 employees.
“I’m absolutely honoured and really proud to be given this opportunity,” Ms Taylor said.
“I was born here and I have a real passion for this area. This is my home. To be here and given this opportunity to drive the region and the economy and also lead such an amazing team, I’m overly excited.”
Ms Taylor has extensive experience working for the WDRC, having served the past five years as the administration’s General Manager of Community and Liveability.
She previously worked for the Wambo Shire Council before amalgamations, and before that worked for the Moree Plains Shire Council and as a management consultant for the local government industry.
Ms Taylor said diversification and sustainability would be her focus for the role, both for the council and for the Western Downs Region.
“We’ve got to continue to diversify our region and that’s something that I’m going to be quite driven in,” she said.
“We’ve got to continue to look at other industries coming into this region. With the gas sector potentially slowing down in the future, we need to make sure that we’re a sustainable region.Â
“We’ve also got to be sustainable as a council and continue to deliver those services, and focus on liveability.”
Comments from Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Paul McVeigh:
“Council’s very excited about today. We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, to be able to recognise talent that’s been developed within council.
“Jodie, as our new CEO, not only brings her knowledge of council and council procedures, but it’s her energy that council’s been looking at and the things that she can achieve.
“We’ve seen her already doing that in her first three months as Acting CEO and we’ve seen her deliver as General Manager for Community and Liveability for many years.
“We’re excited about what the council is going to look like in the future.
“We’re excited that we have someone in that capacity who can engage with our community and can communicate with our community and has the energy to drive our community and drive our council.
“This is a big job and Jodie can do it.”
