The impending return of Adelaide Hills Mayor Jan-Claire Wisdom to her role this week after a six-month absence brings the council’s tumultuous year back into the spotlight.
Prior to her leave of absence – which was taken for health reasons – the council was embroiled in drama, including staff resignations and accusations of bullying.
While she was not the only one embroiled in this scandal, some of the accusations related to her alleged behavior.
An independent report into her behavior is still mostly confidential, which makes it hard to come to an informed conclusion about what actually occurred between the Mayor, councillors, the chief executive and staff.
All one can say with certainty is that it was a turbulent period that did not serve ratepayers well and was marked by personal squabbles that were aired both within and outside of the chamber.
Unfortunately it would seem that the matter is still unresolved, with the Mayor yet to comply with a 2024 council resolution directing her to apologise for her behavior and attend a program of training about workplace harassment and bullying.
The fact that this matter was deliberately brought into the public spotlight again ahead of her return also indicates that some of the old fractures still exist and raises concerns that the tension between the Mayor and some councillors will persist after her return.
Hopefully the Mayor has used her six-month absence to refresh and reset so she can return with renewed energy to finish the term.
The council is also set to welcome three new elected members later this month to replace those who resigned earlier this year.
These changes present the council with an opportunity for a fresh start and could be used as a trigger to put aside their past tensions and create a shift in the culture within the chamber.
The Adelaide Hills Council region is undoubtedly served best when the council is focused on community needs and not petty squabbles.
Let’s hope everyone sees this as a new opportunity to work effectively together to serve ratepayers well and restore their faith in local government.
