In breaking news, Lismore City Council interim General Manager John Walker has withdrawn his name from the selection process for the permanent position of General Manager.

Mr Walker told the Lismore App he did apply in the first instance but has come to the conclusion that "This is not a place I want to work."

"I don't think I'm adding any value when there is no regard for the position of General Manager let alone the incumbent."

Mr Walker lays the blame clearly with the Lismore City Councillors and he may have a point as this is now 5 General Managers in 5 years. The list is Gary Murphy, Scott Turner, Shelley Oldham, Michael Donnelly and now, John Walker. Two of those were interim but the point is that stability is what is required if Lismore City Council is going to effectively lead its way out of the worst natural disaster in Australia's history.

What we have is a record that resembles a Monty Python scene from the Holy Grail screen credits when those involved were sacked.

"You need a council that is prepared to work with its General Manager and the staff and you need a common direction and I don't think that's the case here."

"I also think the operation of council is fairly dysfunctional as evidenced by the constant flow of code of conduct complaints and the commentary on socials (social media) and the way the meetings are conducted. So, it's not a pleasant place to be."

Last Wednesday, LCC staff voted unanimously, with the Unions, on a vote of confidence in John Walker as General Manager and of Steve Krieg as Mayor. This raises more questions for councillors.

"I really feel sorry for the staff because they need steady leadership, they need consistency of leadership, they need a constant direction so I'm really quite upset that I'm letting them down but the reality is councillors, not all of them, I don't believe a) don't want me there or b) I don't want to be there with them."

When asked which councillors he is referring, Mr Walker said, "It's pretty obvious which ones they are to the public."

You only have to look back to the June 14 council meeting when Councillors Adam Guise, Vanessa Ekins and Big Rob put a motion forward to terminate Mr Walker's contract and appoint Kate Webber (who has since left LCC) to the interim position. The motion was defeated 8/3.

"I'd hoped we would have been able to come together after the tragedy of the flood, after the support of the government, I thought there might have been common direction under Mayor Krieg but it doesn't seem so," Mr Walker said.

"Unless you get unity and stop attacking each other, it's pretty hard to see how their reputation can change."

A perfect example of why politics should not be involved in local government.

Will we get another example of 'rinse and repeat' when the new General Manager is appointed before February 8, 2023? The date that Mr Walker's agreement ends.

The Lismore App understands interviews will take place with Councillors this Thursday as the search for Lismore City Council's new General Manager progresses.