IN WHO’S NAME? (The Shire of York is advertising more positions than the Karma Sutra)

(Also it is official- BEVERLEY is a TOP TEN TOURIST PLACE to visit in Winter, York is not on the list and is considered an Olde –Worlde Face by an absolute expert. He is not being derogatory just descriptive.)  

Sadly the ‘Wallace & Martin Carnival’ is in some ways becoming more and more like a predecessor- the ‘Boyle & Hooper Happy Hour’.

Not in the fact there are now politically correct enforced smiles to those in the community considered vexatious- unlike the previous shire’s penchant for acerbic abuse, but that its rating among ratepayers is plunging to a new, all-time low.

The era of financial largesse, unprofessional administration, credit-card cover-ups, question marks next to some expenditure on financial audits, extended tours to interstate resorts on the pretext of attending Local Government meetings just to register- not attend, expensive fine dining and wining and unknown and uncredited gift presentations may have dissipated to a large degree.

But these have brought the Shire of York and thereby- the entire community- into disrepute to the point that is the only Rural Local Government Area to have been sacked once, suspended once, had two commissioners’, a President whose abusive behaviour forced a public apology and had its administration classed as defective (meaning rat-shit) by the WA Ombudsman, all in a little over one decade.

Many in the local government officer sector regard this as an incredible, unenviable record of sustained incompetence, impropriety and lack of probity that will make York, its council and administration, an employment pariah for years to come.

This means its ability to attract high quality, professional, Local Government Chief-Executive –Officers and managers are about the same as the odds on a snowballs chance of survival in hell.

Hopefully the likelihood of revisiting the Shire of York’s abject failures of the past will be stamped-out altogether by the Local Government Act 2018.

The possible past relationships involving the Baladong Farm development, any unusual local planning approval granted  to disgraced Real Estate Agent Colin King and his cronies, illegal coercive demands made of targeted local businesses and the unaffordable Shire-(nee ratepayer) financed tavern and unused convention centre are not directly related to the actions of the  current council.

You can add the behind the scenes machinations with the Shire of York and SUEZ causing the massive local angst regarding Allawuna Farm because the shire supposedly wanted 5 years of free rubbish dumping.

Any cost saving from the proposed SUEZ freebee-you can bet your bottom dollar would not have been passed on to the ratepayers.

However the combined collateral damage from much of the above is certainly this Shire’s problem.

Based on available information- the financial cost consequences are $45 million, over ten years, for desperately needed local road reconstruction, the guesstimated $15 million already spent on Forrest Oval Sports Complex and a minimum of $250,000, annually, to keep the Bar & Café’s doors open for a favoured few. (Complex- in this case- is the operative word.)

This is over what the current CEO claims is just multi-year repayments -a ratepayer soothing euphemism to make it sound that a required $62.5 million investment in debt accrual  fits comfortably within a total estimated $90 million income. There maybe even some litigation payouts to be made and a greedy clutch of lawyers to be paid. Also, obviously, there is the hunting down of all those considered recalcitrant -because they cannot afford to pay their rates.

Given current known rate levies and other funding, the Shire will be able to cover its salary and wage package component and very little else, with the available fund-scraps over the next decade maybe being as little as $2.85 million per-annum.

Will Wallace and Martin publically dispute these figures of creeping insolvency?

Probably not –why should they! They could be hoping like hell there will be a fairy-tale bail-out from somewhere.

Wallace and Martin could use the old chestnut that the importance of maintaining local roads has been downgraded over the years because ratepayers demand a broadening of the range and quality of local government services. (That may be if the majority of local ratepayers consider the Forrest Bar &Café a quality local government service which you pay the massive debt for, and then cough-up your hard-earned for a meal and a drink. Some may see this as double-dipping.)

They certainly cannot claim that letting local roads return to nature has been done to ensure lower rate valuations, peg rates to acceptable levels, increase other services, reduce service fees and provide meaningful rate concessions for all those who need them.

The previous dystopian dynasty had an extremely bad habit of promoting staff without merit-placing them in positions well beyond their capabilities which included the now defunct Deputy Chief Executive Officer post.

Mr. Martin, obviously with approval of President Wallace, appears to be doing similar things, even hiring, apparently without duty of care, candidates who may not be meeting the professional standards that should be required for the position.

And your Shire of York, with a probable debt you could not bury at Allawuna Farm, is HIRING NOW.

Firstly there is a pool manager for an allegedly decrepit Memorial pool and a lifeguard if all the water does not leak out.

Plus extra Visitor Information Officers are a must because visitor numbers are increasing.

If you read Saturday June 9, 2018 edition of The West Australian, its highly regarded Travel Editor, lists his favourite winter destination in the Avon as BEVERLEY.

York gets a mention as an ‘Olde-Worlde Face’ which certainly cannot be construed as any form of recommendation, just what it looks like to others.

Once again this requires a comment from both Wallace and Martin- but we will not get one.

So maybe it means York has become just a face without body and soul- and any character- therefore is as boring as bat-shit to visitors. So who do we blame for that!

So show the ratepayers these uplifting tourism figures that require the hiring of additional staff and the actual facts, methodology and business modelling that brought you to this conclusion.

Next comes the Forrest Bar & Café hospitality staff wants. This includes an unknown number of wait staff, bar staff and kitchen staff to serve meals two days a week to service whom?

But the best one is not advertised on the Shire of York website employment page- it is a Development Services Coordinator (Re-advertised).

Now Mr. Martin already has an Executive Manager Infrastructure and DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

So the Shire of York can afford an Executive Manager and a Coordinator for what?

Maybe it is time for a Shire of York Council explanation of what Development Services means in a shire where there appears to be no development what-so-ever, just an attempt to suggest there actually is a pothole covered road to recovery.

‘Growth’, ‘expansion’ and ‘progress’ is what ‘development services’ mean created by positive intervention of departments within the Shire. It is time that the Presidential hermit, David Wallace, introduces us to what these are in his published monthly mumblings?

So here are some new ‘what–do-you-want and WTF –do-want-them-for’ questions for this CEO.

What did the CEO want? -  An Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development Services to replace an Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development Services?

Why did he want one? - The one, hand-chosen by him, left very quickly late last year?

So what did the CEO want next? - Another Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development Services?

What did he get? - Another hand-chosen (Acting) Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development Services?

So what does the CEO want now? - A Development Services Coordinator as well as a Development Services Executive Manager?

Why? Is the penultimate question and why now? is the ultimate one.

Obviously one answer could be is the Acting Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development Services is going to be inundated with requirements for his development services and requires backup!

One- because of the massive new shopping centre being built behind the Westpac Bank- and two- the luxury apartment block and Chic boutiques complex to be constructed opposite the empty Galileo book shop- so York quickly moves forward to being an Historic International Tourist Precinct allowed to sell duty free goods.  

Sorry just joking!

A distinct possibly is that the Acting Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development Services will be leaving very soon and already having half his replacement, will make it only half as embarrassing for the CEO.

But, because the position has had to be re-advertised, it appears that there may be no suitable candidates- or even no interested candidates at all- which makes it more embarrassing by the minute.

Shire of York Council additional staff requirements are two for the pool. As the other advertisement requires Tourist Information Officers, plural not singular, it must be at least two.

Hospitality staff is also plural for kitchen, bar and wait staff, suggesting at least 6 new mouths to feed.

This is ten new staff, probably not all replacing current staff. The two new Tourist Information Officers could well be on $10,000 per annum each, plus usual employment on-costs, say $25,000 all up. If they are not then it is basically slave labour.

The six at the Happy Haven Bar & Café could all be on similar sums, a total of $90,000, probably added to the current $250,000 to keep the doors ajar for the exclusive clientele.

If the position of Executive Officer Infrastructure and Development Services is retained with new Coordinator sidekick that will be combined salary packages including, mobiles, vehicles, accommodation etc. of around $250,000, $100,000 more than it is now.
Collectively the new staff hiring could cost ratepayers an additional $200,000 plus per-annum.

So what could be the reason? - One is that the Shire of York is trying to wallpaper cracks as it falls apart, or the CEO could be empire building. Neither of these scenarios will be of any comfort to York ratepayers.

David Taylor.