Formally appointed as general manager last October, Mark Ferguson has been at Council's helm since April 2025.
Mark's spent that time wisely, listening and learning from the community and from Council staff. His aim? To provide services that make our towns and villages more liveable while keeping and enhancing the region's natural charm – which brought or kept most of us here in the first place – and without breaking the bank.
"It's not me with all the answers. Building confidence in our staff and strengthening their community relationships is key," he says.
This is classic Mark, a facilitator and enabler, putting decades of local government experience to build outcomes from existing expertise and new collaborations.
"It's about the balance between the courage to try new things and the reality of government processes and community expectations," he says.
A good example is the Bay Pavilions' Yuin Theatre, which comes under direct Council management from July.
"It must be more than the place to catch a show. We're looking at how to give facilities back to the community. At the same time, we can put Council on a firmer financial footing. These may be modest improvements initially, but we see potential for increasingly greater returns on this investment."
In Mark's world, financial sustainability has nothing to do with cuts for cuts sake. He says fiscal gains arise from smart processes, effective project management and leveraging resources effectively, whether they be human, monetary or environmental.
"We need realistic and ethical approaches for our plans and strategies," says Mark.
"We can learn from big projects, like the Batemans Bay Masterplan, by finding the balance between the vision and the reality. With realistic height limits and responsible treatment of Council assets, we'll grow community confidence in our work."
Mark's style is simple: listen, facilitate, leverage. His aim is a council that's confident, a community that's engaged, and towns that are thriving. And in true circular-economy fashion, he's keen to make sure nothing goes to waste — whether it's ideas, water, or community energy — turning what we already have into opportunities that keep Eurobodalla working.
This story was first published in Council's quarterly newsletter for residents, Living in Eurobodalla. A printed edition is delivered to Eurobodalla's 26,000 households.
