An asset in a Local Government Area’s case should be some material thing that
has real commercial value, is readily available to meet community debt, cover
past and future commitments to the community and be an endowment for its future
for generations to come.
Does the Shire of York have these kinds of easily recognizable, valuable assets?
NO
If the Shire of York approached any private lending institution, from banks to cash convertors, for a loan would it have readily available assets to guarantee finance for a substantial community capital investment project?
SORRY!
It would have to rely on its limited cash reserves or a Commonwealth or State Government handout.
One asset that York has, but many do not identify- is the Avon River. It has a high level of commercial value potential as a tourist attraction but is neither a saleable item or owned by the Shire.
It has also suffered from serious neglect that should have been recognised by the Minister for Water, Mia Davies, when she was deliberately ignoring the Allawuna Farm debacle.
Government agency boundaries of responsibility are often intentionally blurred. However since the closure of the Water and Rivers Commission, Ms. Davies Department of Water has some management authority of WA’s river systems including their quality.
According to all the current Opinion Polls Ms. Davies is five weeks away from sitting on the opposition benches or going back to mixing cocktails.
State Parliament has already been prorogued, so Ms Davies can only make pork barrelling promises to the second largest town in her electorate that she may not be able to keep.
One million dollars to clean up and improve the ambiance of the Avon River at York would have many positives for the future of York tourism and the town itself. Unfortunately snowballs do not survive in Hell.
One thing that has escaped recognition, and close scrutiny, is the Asset called ‘Human Capital’ from which it is possible for material things to be created of real commercial value, where appropriate financial management can meet and reduce community debt, ensure past and future commitments are covered through good governance and ensure future prosperity.
These Assets should be the Chief Executive Officer of the Shire of York, Paul Martin, the Executive Manager Corporate and Community Services, Suzie Haslehurst and the Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development, Paul Crewe.
Human Capital, in this instance, means the combination of demonstrable skills, knowledge and experience possessed by a Local Government Officer viewed in the context of their value/ or cost to the community employing them.
In combination this Human Capital asset threesome is costing the ratepayers of York around $700,000 per annum in financial imbursements.
Unfortunately for Ms. Haslehurst she was recently the subject of what is called a ‘Fishing Trip’ when a line is thrown into muddy waters to see what is caught- besides mud.
Ms Haselhurst was landed hook, line and sinker when she responded to questions regarding her knowledge of the YRCC, proving herself to be a local government official expert on delivering a response that was more and more about less and less until her reply was all about nothing!
Her valuation as an asset to the ratepayers of York should now be questioned.
A mortgage loan officer for a major bank receives half the overall salary package that Ms. Haslehurst does. Yet this person must sell around $20 million worth of housing loans per annum to guarantee a permanent employment position in an extremely competitive market.
No quantified demand what-so-ever is placed on the Executive Manager Corporate and Community Services to reduce costs, improve services and produce an acceptable profit from overseeing finances, human resources, information technology, customer services, administration and governance, the YRCC and the Forrest Bar & Café, the swimming pool and the library.
Ms. Haslehurst’s future executive decisions a far more likely to generate substantial, unsustainable debt than a profit. Paul Martin and Paul Crewe’s judgements may provide the same scenario.
It must be realized now that no executive officer within any Shire Council administration should feel too comfortable, nor should any elected official. Their actions will continue to be monitored, with or without their knowledge, and reported to government officials, appropriate authorities, and online, if they considered to be less than satisfactory.
In 2014, a document universally known as The Fitz Gerald Report mysteriously appeared at 50 Hasler Road, Osborne Park, registered offices of The West Australian newspaper. Its content was scrutinized by a company lawyer and the decision made to publish an article in the public interest the next day.
The names of former CEO Ray Hooper and Councillor’s Tony Boyle and Pat Hooper were published yet no action for defamation was taken by them against either the publisher, the author of the work, or the owner, the Shire of York and its community.
It resulted in the discrediting of two elected members of local government, eventually leading to both their resignations and finally a mass exodus of unpopular, incompetent Shire staff.
A continuous barrage of criticism from private citizens against Tony Simpson, the then Minister for Local Government, directed to the Premier Colin Barnett saw Simpson resign, citing his lack of confidence in Barnett, when it was the Premier’s lack of confidence in him that led to his demise.
Overall the phenomenon is known as ‘People Power’.
Does the Shire of York have these kinds of easily recognizable, valuable assets?
NO
If the Shire of York approached any private lending institution, from banks to cash convertors, for a loan would it have readily available assets to guarantee finance for a substantial community capital investment project?
SORRY!
It would have to rely on its limited cash reserves or a Commonwealth or State Government handout.
One asset that York has, but many do not identify- is the Avon River. It has a high level of commercial value potential as a tourist attraction but is neither a saleable item or owned by the Shire.
It has also suffered from serious neglect that should have been recognised by the Minister for Water, Mia Davies, when she was deliberately ignoring the Allawuna Farm debacle.
Government agency boundaries of responsibility are often intentionally blurred. However since the closure of the Water and Rivers Commission, Ms. Davies Department of Water has some management authority of WA’s river systems including their quality.
According to all the current Opinion Polls Ms. Davies is five weeks away from sitting on the opposition benches or going back to mixing cocktails.
State Parliament has already been prorogued, so Ms Davies can only make pork barrelling promises to the second largest town in her electorate that she may not be able to keep.
One million dollars to clean up and improve the ambiance of the Avon River at York would have many positives for the future of York tourism and the town itself. Unfortunately snowballs do not survive in Hell.
One thing that has escaped recognition, and close scrutiny, is the Asset called ‘Human Capital’ from which it is possible for material things to be created of real commercial value, where appropriate financial management can meet and reduce community debt, ensure past and future commitments are covered through good governance and ensure future prosperity.
These Assets should be the Chief Executive Officer of the Shire of York, Paul Martin, the Executive Manager Corporate and Community Services, Suzie Haslehurst and the Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development, Paul Crewe.
Human Capital, in this instance, means the combination of demonstrable skills, knowledge and experience possessed by a Local Government Officer viewed in the context of their value/ or cost to the community employing them.
In combination this Human Capital asset threesome is costing the ratepayers of York around $700,000 per annum in financial imbursements.
Unfortunately for Ms. Haslehurst she was recently the subject of what is called a ‘Fishing Trip’ when a line is thrown into muddy waters to see what is caught- besides mud.
Ms Haselhurst was landed hook, line and sinker when she responded to questions regarding her knowledge of the YRCC, proving herself to be a local government official expert on delivering a response that was more and more about less and less until her reply was all about nothing!
Her valuation as an asset to the ratepayers of York should now be questioned.
A mortgage loan officer for a major bank receives half the overall salary package that Ms. Haslehurst does. Yet this person must sell around $20 million worth of housing loans per annum to guarantee a permanent employment position in an extremely competitive market.
No quantified demand what-so-ever is placed on the Executive Manager Corporate and Community Services to reduce costs, improve services and produce an acceptable profit from overseeing finances, human resources, information technology, customer services, administration and governance, the YRCC and the Forrest Bar & Café, the swimming pool and the library.
Ms. Haslehurst’s future executive decisions a far more likely to generate substantial, unsustainable debt than a profit. Paul Martin and Paul Crewe’s judgements may provide the same scenario.
It must be realized now that no executive officer within any Shire Council administration should feel too comfortable, nor should any elected official. Their actions will continue to be monitored, with or without their knowledge, and reported to government officials, appropriate authorities, and online, if they considered to be less than satisfactory.
In 2014, a document universally known as The Fitz Gerald Report mysteriously appeared at 50 Hasler Road, Osborne Park, registered offices of The West Australian newspaper. Its content was scrutinized by a company lawyer and the decision made to publish an article in the public interest the next day.
The names of former CEO Ray Hooper and Councillor’s Tony Boyle and Pat Hooper were published yet no action for defamation was taken by them against either the publisher, the author of the work, or the owner, the Shire of York and its community.
It resulted in the discrediting of two elected members of local government, eventually leading to both their resignations and finally a mass exodus of unpopular, incompetent Shire staff.
A continuous barrage of criticism from private citizens against Tony Simpson, the then Minister for Local Government, directed to the Premier Colin Barnett saw Simpson resign, citing his lack of confidence in Barnett, when it was the Premier’s lack of confidence in him that led to his demise.
Overall the phenomenon is known as ‘People Power’.
Many in York claim it is a conservative community. So is Nedlands yet it has every social, business and
public amenity known to man.
Conservatism is not a bad ethos when it does not mean unenterprising, unprogressive and stultified.
When houses are empty, businesses closed and population drifts away it is reactionary development restraint called ‘conservatism’ in name only, nothing else, with potential for there to be nothing left.
So when the doors of Aldi open in Northam, how reactionary, enterprising and progressive will York’s conservative shoppers be. We will all have to wait and see and that includes the management and staff at York IGA!
The last Monday in February, 2017, is the 27th. This should be the date of the first Ordinary Council Meeting of the Shire of York Council for the year.
It will be portentous and ominous occasion when the progress made by the Shire of York in sorting out the problems and providing proper discussion papers for delivering fair and equitable resolutions for the YRCC and the newly named Forrest Bar & Grill, and other matters, will come under intense scrutiny from those very good at ‘scruting’.
If it is not $700,000 worth-then the Shire of York’s reputation will be put to the pen that is far mightier than the sword. Any criticisms will be fair and objective- not deliberately destructive!
David Taylor.
For $700k per annum I wwould expect bigger and faster changes. In the corporate world half that amount would assure action. Mind you I understand the old electronic tourism info tardis from 10yrs ago has resurfaced at the VC. Tourists really are in for a treat now.
ReplyDeleteThe York IGA operates at a loss and has done for many years now, personally, I don't shop there, one reason being; if I'm going to spend my money in a retail environment, I expect the staff to be polite, the occasional please and thank you wouldn't go a miss. Drive 25 minutes to Northam and you'll discover that Coles and Woolworths employees understand what customer service is all about. For a start they manage to string a sentence together, proffer salutations and say please and thank you. Where did the notion of 'country hospitality come from?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous1 February 2017 at 22:40 - can't agree with you more. You sure know when staff at the IGA got out of bed the wrong side. Even on a good day, they are only polite to their friends and relatives!
DeleteWith or without Ms Haselhurst's and Mr Crotty's reports which will be available some time over the next year or two (presumeably) every one of the Councillors and Senior staff know how much we are losing on that Rec Centre week after week. It has to be closed immediately! Anything less than that is completely irresponsible.
ReplyDeleteIt's one thing not to make a profit but it's another thing altogether to waste money we don't have.
Do it now Mr Martin. No more bullshit excuses, reports, consultations, expert opinions, forward plans, strategic plans, workforce plans, working groups etc. You dont need all those things to tell you what you already know. It's not your fault we have this burden but it most certainly will be your fault if we lose/invest one more cent.