Slipped into the bottom of its weekly newsletter, under a link to jobs at Council and above an EOI to take up an agistment opportunity, is news that four of the five independent experts appointed to a new Blue Haven Advisory Board in November last year have resigned.

This follows the earlier resignation of former Kiama Council General Manager, Michael Forsyth, who was appointed as a local representative (in addition to two councillor members - Neil Reilly and Kathy Rice).

The people who resigned from the Advisory Board - Joanne Sabena, John Cleary, Richard Bailkowski and Pearl Forrester – and the remaining independent Board member, Elizabeth Kelly, were recruited by specialist board recruitment agency Board Direction (their credentials are listed on Council’s website).

At the time of the appointment of the advisory board members, Council’s CEO Jane Stroud said, “I’m thrilled to have secured a board boasting the credentials, experience and community connections that we have to guide Blue Haven through this new chapter of its 40 plus year journey.

“Having a skills-based advisory board is a crucial part of the changes we’ve made to address the Royal Commission findings and help ensure Blue Haven is well-equipped to meet the challenges of the sector now and into the coming years.”

Their resignations were announced with news of the immediate remodelling of the Blue Haven Advisory Board, as some part of its Audit Risk & Improvement Committee (ARIC). The announcement does not say whether the remodelling sparked the resignations, or if it is a result of the resignations.

ARIC provides independent assurance and assistance on risk management, control framework, external accountability, legislative compliance, internal audit, external audit and process improvement responsibilities.

“As Council is the Approved Provider of Blue Haven’s services, it makes sense to use our preeminent committee, ARIC, to oversee Blue Haven,” said Kiama Council and Blue Haven CEO Jane Stroud.

A discussion paper, likely propose a model where Blue Haven’s Chief Operating Officer (a position held on an interim basis by Joe Gaudiosi following the resignation of Kerrin Hunter, who was appointed in October) chairs the sub-committee and reports to ARIC and to Council, will presented to ARIC next week.

Both Ms Stroud and Mayor Reilly have thanked the Board members for their service.

“As one of two Councillors on the Blue Haven Board, I know I speak for all when I say we have greatly valued everyone on the board’s contribution, intelligence and insight and it has been a great pleasure to work with them,” said Mayor Reilly.

“The board has helped steer Blue Haven through a challenging time for the aged care sector in general, grappling with the pandemic, staffing issues and increased regulations resulting from the Aged Care Royal Commission.

“Blue Haven has had the added complication of Kiama Council discovering and beginning to address some of our longstanding financial issues, some of which relate to the business of Blue Haven and the build of its state-of-the-art Bonaira Residential Aged Care Facility and Independent Living Units, completed in late 2019.”