Former Kaipara District Council chief executive Jack McKerchar received $240,000 in severance pay because he agreed to leave his job a year before his contract ended.
However, the confidential settlement agreement covering his departure in 2011 - released to the Northern Advocate after being kept under wraps by the council - does not say why it wanted the chief executive to leave before his contract expired, despite publicly saying it was due to ill health after 18 years in charge.
Mr McKerchar said the settlement was achieved on an amicable basis, but an expert on employment law said yesterday that a $20,000 tax-free compensation payment for the former CEO's hurt and humiliation as part of the settlement indicated there was more to Mr McKerchar leaving the job early than met the eye.
The agreement provided Mr McKerchar with $200,000 for lost salary through ending his contract a year before its expiry date, the $20,000 for compensation and a further $20,000 to cover the costs of his career transition.
New CEO Steve Ruru said when releasing the document that there had been significant public interest in the agreement.