FORMER Cessnock City Council executive Gareth Curtis will be Dungog Shire Council's new general manager, the council confirmed on Tuesday.
The council said Mr Curtis was a standout candidate after more than 25 years in local government due to his focus on strategic planning and environmental health.
Dungog mayor John Connors said the decision to appoint Mr Curtis was a unanimous one for the elected councillors after a rigorous recruitment process.
"The appointment of a new general manager is one of the most important decisions a council can make, so we wanted to ensure we got it right," Cr Connors said.
"His achievements in taking control of council planning powers, his ability to maximise efficiencies within council, his navigation of contentious issues, as well as his proficiency acting in the role of general manager at Cessnock on various occasions, are all qualities which he will bring to the benefit of the Dungog Shire."
Mr Curtis said he was keen to kick off and help Dungog respond from the pandemic.
"I am particularly pleased to be working on behalf of the people of Dungog to help this resilient community rebuild and grow following the significant impacts of both the bushfires and COVID-19," Mr Curtis said.
"I look forward to enabling a strong, capable and robust shire that will continue to prosper both now and in the future."
Mr Curtis will take over from acting general manager Stephen Glen from July 1.
The general manager position became vacant after former GM Coralie Nichols took a job with the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle in February.
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