Alice Springs Town Council, Northern Territory, will bid a sad farewell to its longest serving Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rex Mooney, in July 2019.
After more than 16 years as head of the organisation, Mr Mooney’s steady leadership and knowledge of local government has been both an enormous asset to the organisation and placed the Alice Springs Town Council in a very sound economic position.
Mooney, said, “I have been honoured to serve the Alice Springs community for more than 16 years, and having been a CEO for over 42 years, the time has come to spend more time with my family, and pursue other interests.”
Mooney has had a very long and distinguished career and has been a resolute local government figure across Australia for more than 50 years.
He grew up in Long Jetty on the New South Wales (NSW) Central Coast. After completing his Higher School Certificate he joined the Gosford City Council where he went on to complete his Town Clerk’s Certificate at age 21; by the time he was 26 he became the then youngest Shire Clerk in NSW.
Since then Rex has always held the position of Town Clerk (or CEO) across a variety of organisations in states including New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.
With wife Janet he has four children and enjoys catching up with family, church activities and playing guitar with his daughter in a 60’s cover band, ‘In Tatters’.
He is a board member on the Executive of Volunteering South Australia/Northern Territory and in 2017 was the recipient of a Paul Harris Fellowship from the Alice Springs Rotary Club.
Mooney has been CEO at Alice Springs Town Council since he started with the organisation in January 2003 and is the longest serving Town Clerk/CEO in Council’s 40 plus year history.
Mayor, Damien Ryan, said, “On behalf of the Elected Members, Council staff and the community I’d like to thank Rex for his dedicated service to Alice Springs Town Council.
“His commitment, experience and love of Alice Springs has helped Council produce many program, events, initiatives and major projects to strategically move our town in the right direction.”
Some of the key achievements with the Alice Springs Town Council during Rex Mooney’s tenure include:
- $10.4 million Civic Centre renovation 2004 to 1 July 2006
- Alice Solar Cities project commencing from 17 March 2008 to 2013 – producing a $100 million economic benefit to Alice Springs
- 2008 and 2009 By-law review
- Council Cash for Containers Scheme introduced 1 July 2009
- Glass Crusher which opened in June 2010 enabling the utilisation of recycled glass in Council footpaths
- Obtaining grant funding and overseeing the major infrastructure construction and official opening of the $18 million Alice Springs Aquatic & Leisure Centre on the 17 April 2011
- The Healthy Communities Initiative in October 2011 and later the ongoing implementation of this role by Alice Springs Town Council
- Todd Mall Revitalisation Project construction and opening in 20 July 2013
- Major infrastructure upgrades to the Regional Waste Management Facility completed in February 2014
- Working with Territory Government and local business towards the construction of the Alice Springs Indoor Netball Stadium February 2017, and
- Council built and funded Garden Cemetery Chapel opened on 6 June 2017.
Mooney said, “I’m particularly proud of the fact that Alice Springs Town Council has been debt free since 2017, is highly regarded as an employer of choice and is well known for its productive team culture.”
