“OUR JOURNEY – TWO
YEARS ON”
Author CEO 20/11/2017
The above
report made interesting reading in APC Council Minutes 20/11/2017 and I
congratulate APC on some of it’s achievements.
However, in the interests of “Transparency” (that word
again) perhaps the rest of the story should be exposed.
FAILURES “OUR JOURNEY – TWO YEARS ON”
1. CWMS
(a)
Incompetence of Middle Management in the extreme
to initially put in place the CWMS that was NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE.
(b)
Not three houses requiring effluent pumps as
originally stated by Council. The
figure is 30 and growing.
(c)
Untruths told to Councillors regarding Engineer
inspections of all homes in Mallala prior to construction to ascertain septic
levels and available fall. The Chamber
told “all but six homes”. Random
selection of 55 homes proved NO inspection was carried out at that time.
2. Organisational rebranding – Council name
change
(a)
First suggested to Council by members of
Adelaide Plains Ratepayers and Residents Association. Not an initiative of Adelaide Plains
Council.
3. Effluent Flooding of Mr Don MacKenzie’s
home from CWMS failure.
(a)
Complaints to Council by Mr MacKenzie virtually
overlooked and ignored after the initial flooding.
(b)
Would not have achieved the final outcome if not
for the intervention of APRRA.
(c)
Disgraceful that six months elapsed before
completion of remediation.
4. Middle Management making decisions without
Councillors knowledge.
(a)
Middle Management Knee-jerk reaction to closing
the camping facilities at Port Parham and Mallala without informing elected
members created major loss of earnings for businesses in Parham, Dublin and
Mallala and creating a void in tourism to this district.
5. GRFMA
On-going frustration partially caused by the CEO’s failure to carry out
the initial wishes of elected members and delegates to GRFMA to notify the
GRFMA board of APC’s desire to withdraw, allowing months to pass before finally
carrying out the elected members instructions, potentially putting APC at
financial risk.
6. Two Wells Transfer Station – Carslake Road
Asbestos debacle.
(a) Thirteen
days between discovery of asbestos at Two Wells Transfer Station and
notification of the CEO.
(b) From Council’s Minutes 20/11/17 it is obvious that
no one will be held responsible within Council for this failing.
(c) How
could this asbestos contamination occur if staff (and highly paid Managers)
have been properly trained and understand their respective role within APC.
(d) $150,000+ debt incurred by APC
requiring an adjustment to a quarterly Budget Review.
(e) APC
hopes to recoup some costs from Insurance Companies – since when have you been
able to insure against incompetency?????
(2)
7.
Introduction
of Governance Advisory Panel.
(a)
The CEO’s report lauds the introduction of the
GAP – (Kangaroo Court)
(b)
A total waste of Ratepayer’s funds seem to be
accessed by thin skinned, self promoting factions within APC for little or no
community benefit.
(c)
There is no fair judgement and no right to
representation = (Kangaroo Court).
(d)
$12,500 cost to Council on one occasion with no
significant outcome.
(e)
Numerous biased and one sided solicitors letters
forwarded at the behest of self- promoting GAP members adding to the waste of
ratepayer’s funds.
AND SO IT GOES ON…..
If the executive management and staff mentioned in the CEO’s
report “Journey Two Years On” had been as successful as they would like to
think, and there was no list of failures as above, the ratepayers would be only
too pleased to congratulate them, but I fear that is NOT the case.
Failures and bad decisions continue. Perhaps it’s time to look at the tenure of
some employees of APC going forward.
Don’t forget they are our employees. Some of them seem to forget that fact.
Neil Slater,
24 Balaklava Road
Mallala SA
5502
