Outgoing city CEO Peter Schneider pays tribute to council staff

Mr Schneider told The Standard he had applied for the role but had been advised he was not the successful candidate.

"In spite of all the wonderful things the staff and I have achieved over the past 18 months (since returning to work following my successful case in the Supreme Court), I have been informed that I am not the preferred candidate," he said.

"Naturally, I am very disappointed by this news, however that is council's prerogative and I have to respect that."

Mr Schneider said despite the ups and downs of the past four years, he had enjoyed working with the council's dedicated and talented staff.

He said staff members "give everything for each other and our community".

Mr Schneider said he and his wife Terri-Ann, along with their sons, loved calling Warrnambool home.

"Our sons attend local schools, are involved in sports and we enjoy and support local establishments and businesses," he said.

"We have forged strong friendships and been embraced by the community with unparalleled warmth and compassion.

"We love Warrnambool and promote our city to all and sundry, at every opportunity - there are no more enthusiastic ambassadors."

Mr Schneider said he was immensely proud of what the council had achieved during his tenure.

"Many of the projects that came to fruition in the last 12 months alone are of enormous significance to the future of Warrnambool and its people," he said.

"A number of them are a reflection of the changing times and maturing values of our community."

Mr Schneider said the revamped Reid Oval was a great asset to the city, as was the new library.

"We have also had some once in a generation engineering taking place down at the foreshore precinct," he said.

"We know how vital bridges are, especially when they are out of action.

"Edwards Bridge is one of the municipality's key bridges and now we have a structure that should see out this century and is more pedestrian and cycle-friendly than its previous incarnation."

Mr Schneider said he believed Lake Pertobe was now undoubtedly the best adventure playground in Australia.

He also spoke about positive results in the council's community satisfaction and business surveys.

"The latest Warrnambool Business Survey has yielded a new high, with the best results since its inception in 2011," Mr Schneider said.

"National retailers such as House, Country Road, JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks have shown their confidence in the strong Warrnambool economy and are establishing their presence with exceptional retail offerings.

"We have worked closely with Better Boating Victoria and now have an upgraded boat ramp and a capital dredge program has been completed at the Port of Warrnambool."

Mr Schneider said his first six months of returning to his role with council last year were focused on COVID-19 matters.

"We kept the community safe and worked closely with South West Healthcare, Victoria Police, government departments and community based organisations and agencies.

"Our health and immunisation teams put in amazing efforts as key frontline staff in the COVID-19 battle. "They were a critical part of the effort that saw our community achieve 90-plus percent full vaccination in a very short time."

Mr Schneider said when he became CEO, he had a vision for the council to be a values-driven organisation with an emphasis on excellence and customer service.

"It's a never-ending journey and we are well on our way to success," he said.

"I have been heartened by the business owners and community members who I meet on a daily basis who tell me how well our city is doing and to keep up the good work.

"Our call to action is that 'we do work that matters for people who care' - it is all about the community and we are a team that never rests."

Mr Schneider took over from former CEO Bruce Anson, who retired in January 2019.

He was previously the CEO of Perth-based local government authority, the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council.

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