Council staff concern

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 251, 19 July 1988, Page 1

Council staff concern

Why ex-Ohakune Borough Council staff are leaving the new Waimarino District Council was a question asked at last week's Works and Reserves Committee meeting.

At the meeting Councillor Ellen Gould asked: "Is there some problem here because there's a lot of concern being voiced in the Ohakune community." She referred to the recent resignation o f Mr John Anderson and Mr Grant Drabble, and a recent letter to the editor in the Bulletin from Mr Anderson expressing dissatisfaction with one of his superiors.

District Engineer Mr Don Sattler answered: "In both cases...letters (from the employees) showed signs only of people leaving of their own free will. In both cases the reason given was to betterize (sic) themselves to better positions. As that being the case there has been as I see it no requirement to pursue the issue any further." "I think Mr Anderson's letter to the paper

(would contradict that)," said Cr Frew. "That's the first time I knew about it and it really did upset me," said Cr Summerhays. Cr Thompson said he was not aware of any problem and he had been told by Mr Drabble that he was leaving because "he'd decided to shift". Cr Frew asked if it could be just natural turnover of staff and Cr Summerhays said the amalgamation and its differences may have had an effect. "There may be things we don't know about, I've tried to find out

and got nowhere. I understood there was a good working relationship with the reserves staff," said Cr Summerhays. "It's just a concern that's out there," said Cr Gould. Cr Summerhays said to Cr Gould that he was sure she could ask staff about the concerns. Cr Thompson said the Ohakune gardens had taken a lot of work to get to their present state and asked Mr Sattler what plans there were for the future. "I take it that you're looking at Mr Ryland to do the planting,"

asked Cr Thompson. Mr Sattler said during the winter months there wasn't a great deal of g arden work to do and that Mr Ryland would use the Five staff available to cover the work. Cr Thompson said Mr Drabble wasn't employed for spring time mowing, that he was here as a reserves specialist. "Would they be able to cope with the job? Grant is a specialist in that field," said Cr Sue. "OK Craig (Ryland) most probably has the knowledge there too, but it means Craig will Turnpage 2

Council staff leaving From page 1 have to move around and supervise these five guys. Do we have to burden him with that sort of work?" Mr Sattler said if councillors felt there was a need to replace Mr Drabble he h a d nothing against it. Cr Sue asked if M r Sattler was going to appoint someone in Mr Drabble's field. "If you're going to employ someone you might as well do it now," said Cr Sue. He said he appreciated the works department had to make use of staff. Committee chairman Ken Summerhays then asked for the discussion to end. "Mr Chairman you asked for comment, now you're cutting us off," said Cr Sue. Cr Summerhays said the committee had more important things t o discuss.