Berri Barmera Council CEO Dylan Strong has announced his resignation, prompting praise from the Mayor for his performance during his time with Council.

Mr Strong has been at the helm of Berri Barmera since April 2022, and has helped steer the Council through an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime flood event, while also transforming its

organisational culture.

Mayor Ella Winnall praised Mr Strong’s “exceptional efforts and results” during his 16-month tenure.

“We’re sad to lose Dylan, but at the same time we’re grateful for his enormous contribution and how he’s gone about his job,” Ms Winnall said.

“And he’s done much of it while working through the many and varied consequences of the 2022-23 flood event.

“But at the end of the day family is very important and we understand Dylan’s decision.”

Mr Strong said a change to his personal circumstances had led to his “very difficult decision” to leave Berri Barmera Council and take up a position as CEO of Copper Coast Council.

“Put simply, I needed to be closer to my young family and the role with Copper Coast Council is an exciting opportunity closer to home,” he said.

“I am disappointed to leave Berri Barmera, as it’s an exciting and important time for the Council, with its flood recovery, its range of new but worthwhile projects, and its still relatively new leadership group.”

Mr Strong said he had particularly enjoyed working with Mayor Winnall, who was elected last November.

“I’ve genuinely appreciated the opportunity to work with Ella on Council business, and we’ve quickly become a united team, pushing to achieve the best possible outcomes for the Berri Barmera community,” he said.

“Ella is an accomplished leader and her approach in her role as Mayor has been first-class. I’m optimistic about Council’s direction under her leadership and can see that the elected members are all serious about making Berri Barmera a better place to live and do business.

“Council is a great place to work at the moment, and I think that’s been a naturally organic thing, brought about by mutual respect and an old-fashioned determination for each of us to do the best job we possibly can.”

Mr Strong said the Council “had a good story to tell”, with plenty of positives among the flood-recovery challenges.

Mayor Winnall said Mr Strong’s final day with Berri Barmera Council would be 22 September 2023 and that work had already begun on finding the best available candidate for the next Council CEO, with elected members and staff committed to minimising the transition time between CEOs.

“We’re keen to keep building this momentum,” Mayor Winnall said.

“So it’s important we find the right person to keep taking us forward.”

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