The council’s closed‑door meeting concluded with a majority vote for “option C” in a confidential options report, a decision that resulted in Reynolds being formally dismissed, stripped of severance pay and instructed to return her laptop and personal belongings to the city.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Reynolds, visibly upset, said she has not heard from Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds since receiving the suspension notice at 11 p.m. in May and is limited to speaking only with a family member and a support person. She described the dismissal as “disproportionate” to the allegations and announced she will challenge the decision “all the way”.
Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds, who is not related to the former chief executive, called the termination a “significant decision” that the council did not take lightly. He emphasized confidentiality constraints, pledged to maintain interim leadership, and said a recruitment process for a new chief executive is under way to ensure continuity of services for residents and businesses.
Former Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas called the sacking “outrageous” and “appalling”, noting that the council is already subject to an inquiry into its own governance. He warned that ratepayers could face costs close to $1 million for the legal and investigative processes stemming from the dismissal.
The backdrop to the dismissal includes a May suspension following a confidential meeting led by Local Government Inspector Tony Brown, who is overseeing a separate $120,000, three‑month inquiry into the council’s governance after 25 complaints were lodged earlier this year. The council was the first in Western Australia to be placed under a monitor earlier this year, highlighting ongoing concerns about internal dysfunction.
Reynolds said she will pursue legal avenues to contest the termination, arguing that the allegations are trivial individually and that the investigation was marred by factionalism, targeted leaks and a toxic council environment.