Balonne Shire Council

Role: Acting Manager Rural Services and Compliance | Community Services Coordinator

When: November 2019 – April 2020

Leo was engaged as a locum to assist in undertaking these two management roles whilst they were vacant awaiting recruitment.

Leading a small, diverse multidisciplinary team, Leo was responsible for leading these teams and management of day-to-day operations.

Leo oversaw the completion and Council’s adoption of the Balonne Shire Biosecurity Plan 2019 -2024, and the ongoing implementation of Council’s $20 Million Wild Dog Exclusion Fencing (WDEF) program.

Other programs improvements delivered included enhanced workplace health and safety improvements at the St George animal management facility, and enhanced Stock route watering facilities across the Shire for travelling livestock.

Leo assisted Council in recruiting a suitable candidate into the Manager’s role.

Leo was then asked to undertake the community services coordinator role which included community wellbeing, multicultural programs, library services and other community related activities.  Leo assisted with the St George library relocation to accommodate the new $6Million St George library hub development.

During the February 2020 flood event, Leo was appointed as Council’s Local Recovery Coordinator and supported the Balonne Local Disaster Management Group during the event. Leo worked with QRA’s Recovery officer to prepare a Balonne Local Recovery Plan for this event.

With the commencement of the global COVID-19, Leo worked with the Balonne LDMG and a multi-disciplinary recovery team to prepare Council’s COVID local recovery plan, with ongoing monitoring.

Leo has successfully completed numerous disaster management modules under the Queensland Disaster Management Training Framework, which is transferable knowledge applicable across all Queensland local government areas.