Like many other residents of the Shellharbour City area, I was able to observe that during the years 2003 to 2007, Shellharbour council meetings that had operated for the previous 25 years in a fairly harmonious spirit of co-operation between competing interests, had deteriorated into an unedifying spectacle.
Leaking of council's confidential committee business and discourtesy from persons in the public gallery to the mayor and council officers, had created a general perception within the public that although in no way guilty of any corruption, council had become dysfunctional.
It is impossible not to feel a certain degree of apprehension when a former local government minister dismissed council's elected representatives and announced the appointment of an administrator with sweeping power to determine all matters coming before the council, throughout the years 2008-12.
I was introduced to council's administrator David Jesson a couple of months after his appointment and formed an immediate impression that he has an impressive knowledge of local government, is prepared to listen to concerns being expressed by members of the public and ask relevant questions of those bringing their concerns to his attention.
While not always agreeing with the opinions being offered, he has been prepared to take the hard decisions along with the easy ones and to publicly defend his reasons for doing so.
Mr Jesson has been prepared, when necessary, to stand up for the Shellharbour area and its citizens, even if such a course of action brought him into conflict with ministers within the government of the day.
I instance the administrator's willingness to resist pressure from the Department of Planning for unbridled commercialisation of the Killalea Reserve. I instance also his support for the local community and the Albion Park Chamber of Commerce, in pressing for the removal of the inconvenient and commercially damaging fence along Tongarra Rd, that had effectively split the area in two.
Recently, the administrator, after having listened to the concerns of residents and neighbouring councils about the former minister for planning's rezoning to residential of a large tract of top agricultural but flood- prone land in the Calderwood Valley, acted to challenge the minister's decision in the Land and Environment Court.
In a particularly difficult financial period, mindful of the necessity for fiscal responsibility, the council under his guidance has managed a balanced budget, without the need for rate hikes over and above those stipulated by government, for three years.
Mr Jesson has established residency in the area he was appointed to administer and regularly attends and officiates at civic functions, at all times displaying a deep interest in local community organisations.
As a social democrat, I welcome Shellharbour City residents having their rights restored to elect representatives of their choice. It is to be hoped that voters will fully respect the need to choose wisely.
In the meantime however, Shellharbour ratepayers and residents have been particularly fortunate in having David Jesson chosen to administer the affairs of our local government area over the past three years.
During his watch, there has existed a general feeling within the local community that our council and Shellharbour as a whole have been in safe hands.
Bob Harrison is a former Shellharbour mayor.
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