Scenic Rim council chooses Cr Marshall Chalk to help find new CEO

The panel will comprise of three councillor representatives and an independent panel member, Gary Kellar.

Both Cr Chalk and Cr Virginia West were nominated to serve on the panel to decide a replacement for current CEO Jon Gibbons after council decided earlier this year not to extend his contract.

Cr Chalk is the youngest councillor for the Scenic Rim and Cr West is the only female.

Before the vote at this week's council meeting there was much discussion about gender diversity.

Mayor Greg Christensen said gender equity was a dominant issue recognised across Australia in terms of executive recruitment.

"The reality is, there is very clear evidence ... that the greatest area of misalignment and risk of missing good candidates is gender bias with not having gender balance in recruitment panels," he said.

Cr West said she had accepted the nomination based on her experience with past CEO recruitment but was mindful of the diversity issue.

"We position ourselves as a modern, contemporary council," she said.

"We need to be adopting modern principles and gender equality is one of them."

Cr Chalk also accepted the nomination.

"It's a very important role ... to select the CEO," he said.

"I really just want the best outcome for our community.

"I'm willing to do this job, I'm looking forward to it."

Cr Derek Swanborough added to the discussion by raising the issue of age diversity.

"Everything I've heard is absolutely correct, but around this table there are quite a few of us who are not pushing 60, we're pushing 70," he said.

"There is age discrimination in our community ... and I think we have to be represented by younger people in this particular council and give them a voice for the future."

Cr Duncan McInnes said selecting the new CEO was one of the most important decisions.

"I don't think there's a councillor here at present who wouldn't like to be on that selection committee," he said.

"We've all got a reason why we should be there and diversity is one of those reasons."

Cr McInnes said he did not think either nominee would show bias against female or younger applicants.

"It's a matter of selecting the right person at the end of the day.

Deputy Mayor Jeff McConnell said the recruitment panel would not be selecting the CEO.

"The panel is selecting a shortlist to come back to everyone around this table," he said.

Mayor Christensen put a procedural motion to conduct the vote via secret ballot, pointing out that he was not saying he agreed with that option.

"I'm proposing it by way of allowing people to deal with a conscience vote if you like, without the peer pressure of others at the table, which can have an impact on something that does have such a personal context for this nomination," he said.

The option was declined by all councillors.

Cr McConnell, who had earlier said he was conflicted about which of the two nominees to vote for, asked for a brief adjournment to gather his thought.

Upon their return Cr Chalk received the majority of votes with only the Mayor, Cr West and Cr Enright voting for Cr West.

To assist with the recruitment process, council said it had also recently appointed recruitment agency, McArthur, who are experienced in executive local government.