Trading retorts

(It was very tempting to 'flesh out' Kimberly's report with clarifying comments, but Ms Timms wouldn't have the opportunity to do the same, so I'll let it read as written in Tuesday's Southland Times.)

Environment Southland chief executive Ciaran Keogh may be gone but relationships within the council appear to remain strained.

At the latest council meeting last week the tension was apparent between Cr Robert Guyton and chairperson Ali Timms as they traded several retorts during the course of the meeting.

The first came after Mr Guyton asked Ms Timms whether she thought it was appropriate to reveal details of a public-excluded meeting to the media by saying it was a unanimous decision not to extend Mr Keogh's contract.

Ms Timms said she was not aware of the content of Mr Guyton's question and would have to research it.

However, Mr Guyton said he had emailed the question before the meeting.

Ms Timms said while she agreed she had told the reporter the committee had voted unanimously, councillors were "not always quoted accurately in our papers down here".

"If any who voted had concerns I expect they would take it up with me," she said.

Mr Guyton said it was not a matter of whether the councillors had concerns, it was a breach of standing orders.

It had been reported that 10 out of 12 councillors voted unanimously, he said.

Ms Timms said she had said 10 out of 12 councillors were present at the meeting and it was a unanimous decision.

"An implication was made that was not there and it was not true," she said.

Mr Guyton said he and Cr Brian Mason had approached Ms Timms with their concerns at the time and she did not address them.

"I have had to wait five weeks to put this question in front of you, that doesn't seem to be good process," he said.

Ms Timms said she had thought it was a minor issue, and when Mr Mason contacted her she explained she was misreported and he did not want her to take it further.

Also up for discussion at the meeting was whether councillors wanted to take part in a Local Government New Zealand workshop on establishing and maintaining relationships with one's chief executive.

Councillors voted not to undertake the Know How course, though Mr Guyton was vocal in his opposition to this decision.

"We are going to be getting a new chief executive and clearly there were issues with some councillors and the [former] chief executive getting along," Mr Guyton said.

In December chairman Ms Timms announced chief executive Ciaran Keogh's contract would not be extended when it expired in June. Mr Keogh lodged a personal grievance against the council, then resigned effective Friday, February 17.

Ms Timms said at the time the parties had resolved all matters in relation to his employment.
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The course, to be run in Wellington in September, would cost $795 per person, plus at least $400 return airfares per person.

Another option, holding the course in Southland, would cost $7950 for a maximum of 13 people.

At last week's meeting Ms Timms said she had attended courses in Wellington when she was first appointed chairperson and had undertaken modules similar to the Know How course being discussed.

"The role between the chief executive and chairman is a very important role. I found a lot of the guidelines given at that workshop very helpful."

The council had robust processes and practices around the CEO and she did her utmost to follow them to the letter, she said.

Cr Grant Hubber said he was "absolutely against" councillors attending the course because he did not see the relevance and it would be another cost to council.

It made more sense to hold the course in Southland and give other local authorities the chance to attend, Mr Hubber said.

Cr Peter Jones saw little point in the course other than a refresher for the chairman.

"I don't think the onus is on us to upskill here, we weren't entirely at fault in the last regime," he said.

Cr Rowly Currie thought it was a good idea to complete the course.

Cr Marion Miller thought it needed to be recorded that the council stuck vigilantly to procedures and followed the advice given to it.

It was one person's opinion that there were issues over the last management, and was not the way she saw things, she said.

Mr Guyton said the course was about maintaining working relationships with one's CEO, and to suggest there were not issues with the previous CEO "flies in the face of reason".

"Ignoring that I think would be remiss."

- © Fairfax NZ News