The council began advertising for the role - occupied since 2014 by Steve Hill - on September 8, following Mr Hill's annual performance review.
The process was not recorded or minuted in any publicly accessible council documents.
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan told the Otago Daily Times the apparent secrecy was necessitated by privacy laws, and should not be of concern to ratepayers.
''Steve has a contract for five years, with a right of extension for a further two years by council approval, which he has chosen to waive. That brings forward an open recruitment process, the second part of which we're going through as a council now.''
Applications for the role closed on Friday,, and they would now be reviewed both by the council and an external recruitment agency, before interviews began next month.
Although the process was a ''legal obligation'', it also allowed the council to ''take stock'', Mr Cadogan said.
''From a political perspective, it allows us to reassess and recalibrate where we're going.''
The council would hold an extraordinary meeting on Friday to discuss its next steps.
Mr Hill said he was limited in what he could say about the process, but confirmed he had reapplied for the role.
''There are certainly projects within the recently confirmed long-term plan I'd like to help progress and, with a council election next year, another five-year term would align nicely with the term of those elected members and give the district certainty. But it's an open process, and up to the present council to make that decision.''
According to council figures, Mr Hill's salary for the year to June 30 was $245,460, plus fringe benefit tax of $5422.
