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Cootamundra Shire Council will merge with Gundagai with the new entity to be known as Gundagai Council.
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After the news was leaked on Wednesday night, Premier Mike Baird and Minister for Local Government Paul Toole made the announcement official at a press conference held at Parliament House at 12.30pm on Thursday.
Under the new arrangement, all councillors from both Cootamundra and Gundagai Shires have been sacked, leaving some fuming at the process.
“Two years ago, why didn’t they say Gundagai and Cootamundra will amalgamate if that is what they wanted,” former councillor Rosalind Wight said.
“By now we could have been two years down the track; millions of taxpayer dollars has been wasted on this utterly farcical charade of consulting with the community,” Mrs Wight said.
Former mayor Jim Slattery reiterated this is not a process Cootamundra Shire initiated, but rather one thrust upon them by the state.
“I’m disappointed with the way it has been done, we basically heard about it from the media," Mr Slattery said.
“As ex-mayor, I am very proud of what I have done for my community over 17 years,” he added.
Former deputy mayor Dennis Palmer said everyone in the council recognised reform of Local Government had to happen.
“The previous council was proactive,” Mr Palmer said.
With the exodus of councillors, an administrator will be appointed to run the council until Local Government elections are held in September 2017, some 17 months away.
Christine Ferguson is the new administrator.
Ms Ferguson does have the power to appoint any former councillors she chooses as advisers, providing a vital link between the community and council.
Cootamundra general manager Ken Trethewey has been appointed interim general manager of the new council with his Gundagai counterpart Phil McMurray appointed assistant general manager.
Mr Trethewey said he plans to get on with the business of working with Ms Ferguson to merge the two councils.
Member for Cootamundra Katrina Hodgkinson said following the announcement “I did everything I could to forward each council’s respective stance”.
“I publicly declared my full support for a Cootamundra Harden merger, and my full support for Gundagai to be allowed to remain a standalone council,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
