A third person connected to Ipswich City Council has been charged with corruption by Queensland's corruption watchdog.
The Crime and Corruption Commission has charged a 57-year-old Cashmere man, understood to be a contractor to the council, with five offences including official corruption.
It comes after council CEO Jim Lindsay was arrested and charged on Thursday, and the council's chief operating officer of works, parks and recreation, Craig Maudsley, was slapped with charges on Wednesday, as the CCC conducts an ongoing investigation.
Before the contractor's arrest on Friday, new Ipswich Mayor Andrew Antoniolli promised ratepayers the council would emerge stronger from the corruption problems engulfing it following the charges levelled at the CEO and COO.
"Personally, I'm rocked, I'm shocked and I know the staff who have a great deal of faith in both those people feel exactly the same way," Mr Antoniolli told reporters on Friday.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Former mayor Paul Pisasale is also facing an extortion charge, however his case is not believed to be linked to the specific allegations against Lindsay and Maudsley.
Lindsay and Maudsley are on paid leave until the case against them progresses through the courts.
Council solicitor Daniel Best will take up the CEO role until someone can be found from outside council to serve as acting CEO.
Mr Antoniolli also announced Deputy Mayor Paul Tully would resign the post at a council meeting on Tuesday.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing against Cr Tully, and the mayor denied he had been forced out of the role.
Cr Tully was defeated by Mr Antoniolli in the recent mayoral contest.
The new mayor said several areas "that need to be addressed" following an independent governance review of the council would be dealt with at Tuesday's meeting.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said this week's arrests were "definitely not a good look".
Ms Palaszczuk has promised to act swiftly on any recommendations she receives from the CCC when it tables a report from its investigation into Queensland's local governments.
