Mount Alexander Shire Council today announced that Chief Executive Officer Darren Fuzzard will conclude his tenure in July 2026, marking 10 years of service to the organisation and community.
Mr Fuzzard has advised councillors that he will not seek a new contract.
Reflecting on his decision, Mr Fuzzard said the past decade had been the most rewarding of his career.
“I cannot tell you how much this organisation, the work we do and the people in it mean to me and I know that when my final workday comes it will be the toughest of my professional life.”
He said he leaves with great confidence in the organisation’s strength and the council’s direction.
“I feel so proud of the leadership, capability and quality of the people we have in every part of our organisation, and of the focus that our councillors have embedded in their new Council Plan to ensure that we keep getting stronger,” he said.
“I have been enormously privileged to work for and with outstanding teams of councillors and mayors throughout my 10 years. I am deeply grateful for the effort, thought and time that they have invested, and continue to invest, in working so well as a team, both amongst themselves and with our staff.”
Leadership through major challenges
Mr Fuzzard’s decade of leadership included guiding council through some of the shire’s most disruptive events, including:
– the unprecedented COVID–19 pandemic, leading relief, community support and recovery efforts.
– the October 2022 floods, which caused extensive damage across the shire.
– the January fires, which placed significant pressure on emergency services and local communities.
His leadership ensured council was able to respond quickly, compassionately and effectively during each crisis.
Champion for an inclusive Australia Day – Survival Day
A hallmark of Mr Fuzzard’s tenure has been his commitment to the Australia Day – Survival Day event, co–designed with Dja Dja Wurrung Elders to acknowledge both community achievements and the deep history and survival of First Nations people.
The event – featuring Welcome to Country, citizenship ceremonies, community awards and a Survival Day concert – has become one of the shire’s most significant celebrations of identity and reconciliation, earning Council a 2024 Maggolee Award from Reconciliation Victoria.
“The event reflects who we try to be as an organisation in all that we do – it’s honest, respectful, done in partnership, and looks to create a better future for everyone,” Mr Fuzzard said.
Delivering for the community
During his decade as CEO, Mr Fuzzard oversaw major achievements, including:
– the two biggest grant funding investments from the State and Federal Governments in the shire’s history, and ongoing high levels of additional grant funding being secured year after year on the back of highly effective relationships with local State and Federal members of parliament and government departments.
– the expansion of council’s aged care services to support more than 1,000 of the most vulnerable people in our community.
– the creation of a sector-leading and award-winning economic development strategy that focuses on improving the wellbeing of people, place and the environment.
– the expansion of council’s services into nearby council areas to increase revenue streams and strengthen the organisation.
– a sector-leading approach to address housing affordability and supply challenges including investment in a Housing Solutions Broker role to identify and drive initiatives such as the Mount Alexander Affordable Housing Trust and significant housing developments on private, council and state Government land.
– the establishment of leading-edge community engagement processes and tools such as Shape Mount Alexander to better inform decision-making and shared understanding of the reasons for those decisions.
– consistent delivery of strong capital works programs including roads, bridges, footpaths, recreation and community facilities.
– the development and implementation of a wide range of strategies and plans in close partnership with the community and other institutions that are aimed at making the most positive collective impact on people’s lives and the environment that we live in.
Mount Alexander Shire Mayor Toby Heydon thanked Mr Fuzzard for his decade of service.
“Darren has led this organisation with integrity, steadiness and deep care for our community. His leadership through crises, his commitment to reconciliation, and his dedication to strengthening our organisation have left a lasting legacy. On behalf of councillors and the community, we thank Darren for his enormous contribution.”
Recruitment for the next CEO will commence in the coming months.