The Southland Express story by Allison Rudd paints a less than flattering picture of chairwoman Timms, opening with, "Environment Southland chairman Ali Timms now leads a divided council after surviving a meeting where five of her councillors made it plain they wanted her gone."
Harsh, but true.
The story continues:
"The 7-5 vote of confidence in her leadership came at the conclusion of a sombre one-hour meeting last Thursday.
Ms Timms earned the unanimous disapproval of her colleagues last month when she telephoned Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt on a regional television talk-back show and posed as Ruby, a mother of two whose husband had been made redundant from the Tiwai Point smelter.
At the meeting, the councillors who wanted her gone spoke of her lack of remorse, saying she had breached the council's Code of Conduct and destroyed her credibility. They said her actions had impacted on the public's perceptions of the organisation as a whole, and that if she stayed she would be trying to lead a divided council.
Cr Brian mason said councillors had asked Ms Timms to resign at an extraordinary meeting on December 12, but she had refused. At that meeting, a majority of councillors had granted her request for six week's leave on full pay, a decision he said cost ratepayers "at least $7000".
Other councillors said while they didn't condone her actions, one mistake had to be balanced against the good work she had done in her two years as chairwoman.
Acing chairman Nicol Horrell said all councillors would be judged at October's local body elections.
"Let the people decide then whether Ali or any of us should stay or go. I am comfortable with that."
Ms Timms, who spoke last, apologised, saying she regretted her "stupid" and "dumb" actions and could assure people there would be no repeat.
However, she said she had no intention of resigning.
"I'm not a quitter. I'm not going anywhere, " she said.
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