YULETIDE IN YORK

The Festive Season is almost upon us when families gather together in unity and harmony. In many ways the community of York is a family and needs to stand united as it faces up to 2017.

In 2016 much unfavourable comment was made about Ray Hooper, Pat Hooper, Tony Boyle, Mark Duperouzel, Tyhscha Cochrane, Gail Maziuk, Jacky Jurmann, Graeme Simpson, Tony Simpson, Brad Jolly, Jennifer Matthews and James Best. Mia Davies, the Local Member, was noted as being in constant, agoraphobic absentia when most needed by the community regarding a rubbish dump.

The complete list of the destructive or inept is too long to mention. Most of them have gone and maybe it is time to stop mentioning them. What they have done to York is well known by those who want to know and those who are their friends will always be non-believers.

There is little good reason to help turn current community pariahs into future martyrs. That is unless a new scandal erupts with subpoenas issued for some more naming and shaming over document tampering.

Occasionally there will be incredulous reflection on other past Shire Council buffoonery instigated by some of those mentioned above. They include such lasting legacies of incompetent property portfolio management as the extension of a lease agreement until 2037 that could only proceed with Ministerial approval that was never sought- or having no lease agreements at all- including the York Golf Club. Most will have financial and legal ramifications.

So the murky fiscal swamp this group has created may take much time and money to drain. York is going to have to survive and attempt to thrive in a morass for a few years to come.

We now have what many thought was the full list of potentially positive game-changers, Paul Martin, Suzie Haslehurst, Paul Crewe and Esmerelda Harmer. Three have strong backgrounds in the local government industry, although this certainly does not automatically guarantee success in re-creating a rural utopia.

Yet given their past reputations it has become more and more difficult to understand why additional senior staff support is required by them. In addition, in the Shire of York Policy Manual under G 4.5, Asset Management, it nominated the Shire’s Works Manager as its ultimate authority/ asset management officer responsible under the Local Government Act, 1995, Section 56.1, Local Government (Administration) Regulations and under the DLGC’s Integrated Planning and Reporting Advisory Standard for York community assets.

This official document was dated January 28, 2016, and was not due to be reviewed until after the Local Government Elections on the third Saturday in October, 2017, by York’s incoming Council.

So just 10 months ago the Works & Services Manager, Allan Rourke, was the ultimate authority overseeing asset management for a further 11 months. What has changed, especially in areas where it could be considered to be asset management recovery, strategy and planning over-kill? Therefore the question had to be asked-why?

The Shire Administration’s informative response is that it ‘does not understand what assets it has’, ‘what condition they are in’ and how much they will ‘cost to maintain’, meaning it is unable to accurately determine any assets’ ‘long term financial sustainability’. It is an extremely serious admission with the possibility that York, as long suspected, has a large, drastic financial risk- Asset Register. (Given this, there can be no viable asset management strategy and planning scheme ready for implementation.)

Its remedy is to employ an Asset Management Officer under a three-year contract to join the team that is already in place, call it a sensible use of the Shire’s limited resources and deny this is empire building.  It is assumed that the ‘team’ mentioned as already in place is Paul Martin, Suzie Haslehurst and Paul Crewe, although this is yet to be confirmed.

The Shire will award a three-year contract as it envisages it will take that length of time just to develop detailed asset management plans, tending to suggest these years will be tough years needing four, maybe more, experts to get any sort of result.

Those who still believe that the asset management team was to be the three amigo’s, sans the officer position, but including the Works Manager, would like to know exactly when, where, how,  why, by whom and by whose ultimate authority was the decision made to create this additional position?

Mr. Martin openly admits that it was his recommendation to Council that, rather than engaging
consultants, an Asset Management Officer should be employed to do this work. He also claims that Council endorsed the asset management organizational review and the ‘officer’ recommendation.

This is the same Council that approved, Allan Rourke, as the asset management officer, being part of his other duties, at the beginning of this year. And it is the same CEO to whom it was suggested that undergraduates, studying an appropriate syllabus at local Universities, could be used to review such matters as part of an education/local government cooperative program.

Mr. Martin says that all decisions can be viewed on the Shire’s website and it is assumed that the curriculum vitae, demanded by the Shire from Asset Management Officer Applicants, are also easily located on this site. That is assuming the files are available for viewing?

Others would like to know where they can readily access the Shire’s current Strategic Community and Corporate Business Plans so they can now peruse the content in greater depth.  (An online search is greeted by ‘this file cannot be found’.)

Obviously York’s future asset ascertaining officer must have a national industry recognized qualification, the minimum being a Graduate Certificate in Asset Management or a Graduate Diploma in Asset Management with at least five-year’s experience in a similar role prior to be chosen for this ‘make-or- break’ appointment. (This should be the community expectation regarding qualifications for the role.)

The Shire claims the officer will focus on ‘capturing’ all of York’s assets, although no-one was aware that one had escaped and is hiding in a backyard at Meckering.

The Shire assures the York community that most local governments have a designated, full time
Asset Management Officer. This can be easily confirmed by contacting other Wheatbelt Shire’s such as Merredin, Dalwallinu, Dowerin, Toodyay, Goomalling, Mukinbudin, Narembeen, Morawa, Pingelly, Tammin, Wagin, Wickepin, Wyalkatchem and Kellerberrin and talk to their Asset Management Officer.

It is highly unlikely that many, even any, of these shires have the financial capacity to employ a stand-alone Asset Management Officer with nothing to do but chase and capture assets because, like York, they have limited resources.

When you read any of the dwindling lists of advertised employment opportunities in WA you will find a universal requirement. Auto technicians, chemist assistants, store persons, concierges, bar staff, wait persons and bottle shop managers all must have strong, excellent, or fantastic communications skills as a number one priority.

Certainly with the Shire of York and many other rural council administrations communication skills is neither a featured priority nor a recognized necessity, particular if it involves regular, transparent communication with the community about what is actually happening within the shire. (Community ignorance is bliss according to far-too-many local government officers.)

Those who are without strong, excellent or fantastic communication skills should not attempt to use a too descriptive term to answer a question- describe employment activities- or diffuse situations- as it can be confusing and is certainly inordinately ridiculous. The impressively expressive unskilled communications term ‘capturing assets’ comes straight from the Local Government ‘Wanka-Pedia website.

Within the Shire of York Administration, Communications appears to be a ‘C’ word- never to be used.

The closest position description, encapsulating external communications within the employment profile for any new management staff is that of, Suzie Haslehurst, being in charge of ‘Information Technology’. This mainly consists of a website, which allegedly delivers clear, concise, important and easily accessible information on a well- constructed, quality, and interesting public platform.

It should also include an efficient electronic data-base, official document storage and retrieval system that the Shire did not have 18-months ago when it was found, through a DLGC investigation, to be non-compliant with sections of the State Records Act, 2000.

Unfortunately the Shire of York’s website is an abomination for such an important, historic town. It reflects poorly on its senior management’s intent to-and involvement in- the provision of quality promotional outcomes and suggests that the current commitment by the shire to communicate with its own community and the rest of the world -is amateurish at best.
 
It should also be considered to be rather offensive and demeaning to its ratepayers.

Amid the dilapidated roads, footpaths, drains, open space and buildings, Information Technology is also classed as an Asset by the DLGC. Maybe it is one of the assets the new Asset Management Officer needs to capture and rapidly strategize and plan to use effectively.

Running down roads hunting for assets to capture is important, albeit a reactive process caused by obviously incalculable, past neglect that will generate no immediate, new, income stream potential.

Communications is a pro-active response that can provide, through renewed awareness, promotion and marketing tools for new and improved local business opportunities.

The WA Tourism Council has called for the winner of the next State Election to guarantee at least $80 million to destination tourism, one of the few investment growth opportunities in this State.

Expenditure on area promotion and festivals related to the annual $ 8 billion WA Tourism Industry by the Shire of York is less than $50,000 in this financial year-or about 0.5 per cent of its projected, overall annual income.

Within the senior ranks of York’s administration not one has a position description that encompasses and recognizes the extremely important assets that communications and tourism are and the positive end result they can provide.

Instead of hanging the dedicated  York Tourist Information Bureau office staff out to dry, trying to  capture a share of a market that is far more complex than finding local physical assets, the Shire of York should engage communications experts to plan, promote, market and sell York to the world in a timely manner. This could take 12-months but certainly not 3-years.

Instead York will get the great white asset hunter to join the elite crew. (By the way the War Memorial Krupp gun is an asset and the proposed Equine Centre at the York Race track was mooted at least 10-years ago but is still a 4-year plan in the making.)

David Taylor

ASININE ASSET ACCOUNTING (go that extra mile but not on York’s assets.)

IT IS JUST LIKE WINNING ‘LOTTO’ ……One POWERBALL and you could get a job as a Senior Local Government Officer with one of the 100-plus Rural, Regional and Remote Shire Councils in WA- York.

What can you win? Normally a salary placing you in at least the top 5 per cent of wage  earners in Western Australia, relocation and rental assistance, fully maintained vehicle or access to one, mobile phone laptop and landline payed for, probable use of a corporate credit card for meals, entertainment and sundry items, travel and further education allowances, your contract fully paid out even if you are totally useless- and you are hardly likely to be answerable to anyone important who is going to complain about your performance to anyone important.

It is usually a 37.5 hour week, no weekend rosters and with the Christmas-New Year break when many others engaged in community and customer services are working their butts off.

Any ‘further education allowance’ is a bit of a furphy because you do not really need any relevant tertiary qualifications to reach the council employee pinnacles outside of the senior management level of city councils.

In the past travel allowances have been used to attend meetings and functions that bear no relevance what-so-ever to any local community wants, needs and aspirations. It is usually a holiday when you are pretending to be working.

The Shire Councillors are highly unlikely to know what you are really up to unless they are actually told about what you cannot hide through classifying it as confidential information and it is almost impossible to be charged with any form of non-compliance under the WA Local Government Act, 1995. (Councillors are prohibited from having any direct involvement in the day-to-day running of shire business other than by being informed of such matters by the CEO- at his discretion.)  

If it gets a little too hot in the council’s gourmet kitchen, you resign taking all your massive entitlements and then get WALGA to promote you as an outstanding administrator to some other council whose members either do not or cannot read their daily newspaper about your financial destruction of another town.

You are at very long odds to be charged by WA Police with a criminal offence and the WA Corruption and Crime Commission, often called the three- C- circus, has had more mismanagement and corruption within its own ranks than successful prosecutions.

You are at even longer odds to be made accountable by your ratepayers because your Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) within your contract do not specifically qualify and quantify the results you must achieve. There are no performance requirements such as you must reduce community asset debt by at least $3 million per annum for the term of your contract, help increase tourist numbers by 20,000 per annum or the town’s overall commercial profitability by 10 per cent each Financial Year.

And, of course, the actual terms of your contract are normally withheld from ratepayers and any form of public scrutiny.

Some Councillors are unlikely to complain about your performance to anybody as you were either employed directly by Council or it approved your employment.

Senior Local Government administrators often feel the need to have at least one personal,  well paid ‘mini-strator’/manager/assistant for each major (and minor) role they undertake.

York is no exception.
Executive Manager, Suzie Haslehurst, has the YRCC asset/ liability as one of her responsibilities. She will soon have the assistance of the Asset Management Officer as well as the support of CEO Paul Martin who has overall responsibility for everything and the YRCC Manager who is obviously in charge of running the YRCC. Then there is Paul Crewe and the Planning Officer.

Executive Manager, Paul Crewe, who has Asset Planning and Asset Maintenance as part of his portfolio-also will have the assistance of the Asset Management Officer as well as CEO, Paul Martin, the YRCC Manager, the Manager Works and Services, the Planning Officer and the support of Suzie Haslehurst.

The basic requirements to be an Asset Management Officer on the Shire of York’s Official Website is to be motivated, organized, able to cope with multiple projects and a team player, similar to the advertised requirements for a junior staff member at Hungry Jacks.

You also have to be able ‘to maintain relationships with the community and stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes for the organization’. Unless the emphasis has changed dramatically York’s community is the major stakeholder and the positive outcomes should be on behalf of the community as the stakeholders- not the organization.

The full position description can be found on the Shire of York’s website www.york.wa.gov.au. But possibly not.

The advertisement is for one position only, yet the website advisory rabbits on about ‘the successful person for ‘each role’ meaning it has not been proof-read for mistakes. It is a timely reminder that if you cannot ensure all your public information is correct then how can you administer a $9 million per annum organization? (If you cannot handle the ‘small stuff’ the ‘big stuff’ can be stuffed.)

So what will come next? Will Mr. Crewe need the able assistance of a Capital Works Controller and, Ms. Haslehurst, the support of an Administration and Governance Support Supervisor? (With Paul Martin as the executive backstop when required? supported by another half-dozen new officers?)

You can make up dozens of plausible, important sounding names for new positions as you go along with no real need for them or performance parameters to justify them, other than to Council who may be hijacked into thinking they are necessary.

It may well be the case that the more employees a Shire Council has- the higher the pay grade for the executive management?

The most annoying part is why the new Asset Management Officer position should be necessary!
                                                                                                                                                            
It is because, since 2011, the Shire of York has not complied with an official local government edict to create and maintain a Local Government Asset Management Policy, Local Government Asset Management Strategy or a definitive Shire of York, Local Government Asset Register.

THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE

Instead it has turned long standing assets into huge financial liabilities by redirecting funding from established assets into new assets which are also now major liabilities- with the ratepayers bearing the brunt of every single, expensive, past mistake.

Mistakes must come to an end- and the best, in fact only time- is now! Future mistakes must not occur!

The Shire of York Council is investing around $3.3 million (or more) on behalf of the community in staff wages and benefits to get a mistake-free, positive socio-economic result in a reasonably generous time-frame.

With the acquisition of an Assets Management Officer you can add at least another $120,000 to the annual budget through wages, benefits, insurance, office space and ‘tools of trade’.

David Taylor.   

SHIRE PLANNING MIRE: / THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MOUSE:

THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MOUSE: -The Shire of York’s Strategic Planning Scheme strategy!

The kettle boils, a cupboard door is opened and a scream ‘Mouse’ shatters the silence of the Shire office coffee break. A distraught employee racially abuses and physically assaults two co-workers then falls to the floor in a dead faint before being sent on stress leave.

Six-month’s later the Shire’s Occupational Health & Safety Committee, after paying a psychoanalyst $50,000 for the customary report, concludes that in all probability the viewing of a mouse, in cupboard situ, feasting on the shire’s biscuits, was sufficient cause for the actions of the employee who will remain on indefinite, fully-paid stress leave.

A Confidential Workers Compensation payout of $300,000 each is negotiated with the two staff that were abused and assaulted. 

Three months later the Financial Audit Committee finds that over a three-year period, said mouse may have consumed $2000 worth of shire ‘Tim Tams’ which is changed to $200 worth of cheap assorted biscuits on the official audit report.

Within a month an emergency Senior Executive meeting is called to mouse-debate a strategic planning scheme for the removal of said mouse. However, prior to any decisions being made, legal advice must be sought from McLeod’s Solicitors’, specialist rodent legal team.

Within nine-months, and $130,000 later, McLeod’s respond, advising the Shire not to advise ratepayers of the presence of a mouse on shire premises and that said mouse can be legally removed, alive or dead.

Almost immediately, within four weeks, an executive decision is made to set up the special 2016-2056 Strategic Rodent Removal Planning Scheme Committee consisting of three sub-committees, ‘The Cheese Selection Committee’,’ The Rodent Removal  Ethics Committee’ and the Rodent Asset Committee.

Each committee is granted twelve months and $400,000 each for the obligatory approach to three separate experts on Mouse Cheese Evaluation, Mouse Removal Methods and whether the mouse should be accounted for as an asset or a liability on the Annual Financial Statements for the 2032-3033 Financial Years.

Then, for a further four-years, lots of mouse-debating occurs as the decision to engage an employee or a contractor to remove the mouse is made. At the same time an independent Compliance Probity Expert is hired at a fee of $150,000 to analyse the ethical conundrums of whether the mouse should be alive or dead when removed from the shire premises. The opinion of a Risk Management Expert is also sought for a further $50,000.

The final decision, made on July 1, 2032, is to use the open market method for the delivery of capital punishment works at an agreed fee of $3.9 million which unfortunately is $2.3 million more than the shire has in bank or asset reserves.

On December 30, 2033, a former shire employee opens a cupboard door, screams ‘Dead Mouse ‘racially abuses and assaults two former co-workers and falls to the floor in a dead faint, before being sent on stress leave by the shire liquidators.

Apparently the mouse had been dead since 2017 from diabetes related obesity caused by eating too many Tim Tams. Animal rights activists are now seeking legal advice.

This is an allegorical synopsis of how the Shire of York has acted in the past and continues to act on even the most fundamental of strategic plans for its community.

In his response to the letter to him called ‘Shire Planning Mire’ (below) regarding financial and statistical irregularities that could affect future progress and prosperity, the CEO Mr. Paul Martin, confirms his commitment to the long term financial sustainability of the Shire but completely ignores the question of its current fiscal status and extremely inaccurate estimates of its projected population growth.

The Shire is currently working to find out what assets it actually has. This is information Mr. Martin concedes the Shire does not have. This despite the fact that the demand for a regulated Local Government Asset Management Policy and Asset Management Strategy was made by the Minister for Local Government, John Castrilli, in 2011.

However we do now have funding for an assets officer to develop asset management plans for each of the six asset classes once they are found. This should have been done six-years ago.

And of course at great expense to the ratepayer, one of the world’s most prominent accounting firms, Moore Stephens, will once again conduct a financial systems review into risk management, compliance and internal controls which you would expect highly paid CEO’s and their executive staff to provide.

In the end it appears that these executive officers are here to write out the cheques for hiring experts to give advice on open market economics and tendering processes for non-existent capital works programs- at great additional cost to the ratepayers!

David Taylor. 

*************

2 November 2016

QUESTIONS REALLY ARE THE ANSWERS? - Let’s hope not.

A letter has been sent to both the Shire President and the CEO explaining the reasoning for the ‘Shire Planning Mire’ article and requesting suitable public responses to the financial and statistical questions raised including a potential massive over estimation of population growth.

It contained an assurance that everyone wishes York to succeed, but that there is a large portion of the population who have seen their towns’ finances and assets infrastructure virtually destroyed by past incompetent, vindictive, local government morons, ably supported by a few councillors.

Taking a jaundiced view of the Shire’s financial situation as it now stands is no- one’s idea of having fun. However it does give the Shire the golden opportunity to advise the community, in writing and/or via radio broadcast, that these assumptions are incorrect, set the official financial record straight and allow the town to feel confident it will move forward rapidly.

Confidence will not be achieved through the release of Strategic Planning Scheme documents filled with nebulous proposals for entry-level action coupled with rhetoric on ethical behaviour. It requires actual number crunching, showing focused reasoned expenditure for future projects with forecast net returns to the community.

The Shire was reminded that six- months ago it was told of the possibility of attracting important WA
Museum exhibits to York for the next four years. Also of the popularity of modern lighting projection art forms being displayed on iconic buildings. Since then both the City of Perth and the City of Joondalup have jumped on the art-lighting band wagon.

Did the Shire of York know that the Avon Valley was being investigated for its suitability to be the site for an open plains zoo? Did it ever express any interest in having it located near York, not at Chittering?

The all-encompassing question is has anything of this, progressive, nature been investigated by the Shire recently or has time stood still until the last Shire executive arrived on Monday October 1, 2016?

It is now up to the Shire of York to find the time to respond, publically, by providing quantified and qualified reasons why York is not in serious financial difficulty or if it is- what immediate remedial actions are being taken?

If the questions being asked really are the only answers- then the people of York deserve to know.
The previous Shire’s judgement that the community was only to be told what the Shire wanted it to know is way past the used by date for public acceptance.

David Taylor.

*********

Monday 31 October 2016

Why the exorcism of the 2012 York Strategic Community Plan may not work effectively to improve its future! 

Nowadays many residents of York are asking each other difficult questions on the town’s future that may not have definitive answers and a favourable outcome.

Attempts at reasonable answers are often based on supposition because of a lack of conclusive evidence caused by the withholding of and/ or a dearth of relevant publically accessible information on financial problems.

In addition most local government strategic planning documents are full of platitudes, inanities that suggest local government officials have the ability, understanding and progressive entrepreneurship to deal with major economic issues of which they may have little grasp of- and certainly no ability to control. (Nice words-but no real formula for positive economic stimulus.)

Based on socio-economic statistics, Western Australia is now judged as the poorest performing state in Australia over a range of economic criteria including the issue of the faltering economy- causing rising unemployment, debt default and poverty.

In the end this situation is largely the responsibility of the WA State Government through its underperformance in critical areas. This, basically, is its inability to effectively control and improve the economy.

Based on similar statistics, the most underperforming sector within the Shire of York economy is the local government sector, the Shire of York Administration.

As a single administrative organisation it is probably York’s largest employer and by far the largest cost factor to the community and its economy.

The current employee salary payments and associated on-costs component of the annual budget is around $3.33 million to be sourced from the current total outstanding debt of $6.25 million. (Luckily the Shire has $3.6 million in investments and bank accounts that would cover employee costs for 12 months if everything goes pear shaped.)

In 2015 the comparison between total revenue to total operational expenditure showed a negative differential of nearly $270,000. A loss that should not occur!

Around the same time that the Shire incurred this loss it placed an added total impost over two years of a 16% rate-hike on ratepayers-five times above the annual national inflation rate. This burgeoning levy will provide up to an additional $800,000 based as a percentage of projected rate revenue of around $5 million per annum.

This amount will only help cover the annual cost of essential road maintenance and little else. This annual cost is estimated as being $1 million. (It should be remembered here that all economic modelling shows that a quality local road and major road transport system is a vital component of commercial development.)

Furthermore, based on Gross Rental Value on which rates are set, it suggests the York Real Estate market is booming with a median rental return of $400 per week and an average sale price of around $450,000 which could not be further from the truth.

It is also an economic disaster, forcing a community that has a low average household income, to pay similar rates to the well-appointed, leafy, middle income suburbs of Perth. (And last, but by no means least, it has pissed a lot of people off. So currently $5.9 million in rates remain unpaid by disgruntled ratepayers.)

Of York’s total revenue in 2015 of $9.1 million, around four million would have been government funding that in the future could be reduced or withdrawn given the current economic circumstances.

The Shire’s overall tangible assets are guesstimated at $133 million of which nearly $100 million is arguably non-saleable. This substantial figure is highly debatable as there is potentially a vast difference between book value, real market value, ultimately actual sale value and what can and cannot be sold. (The YRCC and the Old Covent School are classic examples of this.)

The Shire of York’s response has been to release its 2016-2026 Strategic Community Plan which, when viewed closely, is often a re-written, planning re-hash of its Strategic Community Plan- 2012 to the Future, overseen by Ray Hooper , Tyhscha Cochrane and Jacky Jurmann. (This was a projected future- which did not eventuate.)

This was also at a cost because an expert was hired to do the re-write.

It also contains elements of the Avon Sub-Regional Economic Strategy of 2013 that contained input from two controversial individuals. One was the Manager Planning Services  maestro from the Shire of York, Jacky Jurmann, now long departed and discredited, and Dowerin’s Mr. TAB himself , Dacre Alcock, whose regional development expertise is going nowhere for the next four-and-a-half years.

The Shire of York’s economic plan up until 2026 is partially based on 2012-13 indicators that included the mining boom, large injections of Royalty for Regions funding and assurances of the development of ‘Super Towns’,  one being Northam.

These economic positives with their affiliated development programs no longer exist- have been reduced or put on hold.

A major precursor to economic growth is population growth that exponentially increases the potential demand for local goods and services.

York’s Strategic Community Plan-2012 to the Future predicted a population of 6300 for the Shire by 2026. In 2002 the population was 3224. At this time it is recorded as being 3486, an increase in population by birth and new arrivals of just 18 per-annum, over the past 14-years.

At the current population growth rate York will fall short of its projected growth target by a massive 1644 persons and there is no current economic indicator to suggest why York’s population will reach anywhere near 6300 in ten years. (At today’s growth the population will be 3666 in 2026 (not 4600 as currently suggested by the Shire) and possibly reach 6300 by AD 2100.)

The required new infrastructure affordability including electrical power availability may well rest on the State Governments attempt to privatize Western Power before the next election.

Another development retardant is the state’s unemployment rate which is at a ten year high in a decade that included the 2007-08 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) followed by the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the US NINJA Housing Loan scandal (No Income, no Jobs and a hefty mortgage).

The 2016-2026 Strategic Community Plan brings with it words of comfort such as empathy, respect, courage, aspirational, affordable, adaptable, aligned and accountability.

Unfortunately this is cold comfort without any inspirational revelation of how the Shire will actually tackle its financial problems and achieve goals regarding development targets in acceptable time frames.

All state governments, when in financial difficulty, do one of two things, or both. This is reducing its workforce and/or selling off assets.

In particular asset sales are claimed to reduce debt and provide funding for critical new infrastructural developments.

Whether York, as a local government, has valuable assets that it could sell to rapidly reduce debt and provide sufficient funding to make a dramatic impact on future sustainable growth is highly debatable. (Financial records show it has estimated its saleable assets being property, plant and equipment at $34.5 million.) 

The sale of the YRCC building and its Tavern Licence, if a buyer could be found, would be lucky to gross the original Royalty for Regions grant funding. The Old Convent School would be lucky to gross $400,000. (However it would be remiss of the Council itself not to at least discuss this matter.)

The reduction in staff numbers should be an action of last resort. The impact on a small community such as York can be socially and economically catastrophic as the damage is collateral.

Normally any reductions in York’s situation will come from within the ranks of unskilled or semi-skilled employees. They are the most vulnerable, with little chance of re-employment, and any wages cost saving is comparatively small.

Any replacement will be done through the hiring of contract labour and it is extremely likely that this matter has been discussed by the current CEO and his new executive staff.

Another matter that would have been discussed, if a reduction in employee numbers has been contemplated, would be the Shire divesting itself of any unused property, plant and equipment. (Current economic conditions would suggest that the sale of unused assets would be at ‘fire-sale’ prices.)

All this must be viewed as an article by the Devil’s Advocate, based on a least positive assessment of financial figures and published proposals for developmental improvement-all sourced from official Shire of York documents.  

It does give Senior officials from the Shire of York the right to publically respond to its content and to refute, dispute, even discredit the truth and reliability of the matters raised.

Failure to publically respond may well suggest that currently the Shire of York has few concrete plans of action that will actually directly assist the future commercial development of York.

Rebuttal can be by way of explanation that the current rate shortfall of $5.9 million is because it is only four months into the financial year. Yet it certainly is a massive amount and a financial disaster in the making if 80 percent is not recouped within this financial year.

Although the population growth rate projection in 2012, that it would be 6300 in 2026, is a massive shortfall of some 2000 citizens, the Shire of York’s 2016 prediction may be less than 1000 out.

The Shire may say it has no intent to divest itself of either assets or staff. But if has not discussed these matters it would not be doing its job.

The Shire may claim that its 2012-2026 Strategic Community Plan was not used in the current one, or the amount used and its effect would be minimal. Information suggests that this would be a terminological inexactitude of Churchillian proportions.

Now congratulations to Colin King who has personally managed to drag York’s business reputation into the mire. ‘Serious dishonesty’ and the loss of his Real Estate Licence for life reflects poorly on any rural community he lives in or has used and abused to make his living.

His son Paul is likely to suffer the same fate and it is interesting to note that, in the past, there has been an alleged real estate sale business association between Colin King and former Shire President, Tony Boyle.  

David Taylor.

YORK Ref: 50-14553 TYRES & FIRES ETC.

THE MINISTER’S RESPONSE

As you will see below the Hon. Albert Jacob, MLA, Minister for the Environment& Heritage did respond in a positive manner with regard to the hideous old tyre suppository in the main street of York. 

The Shire of York also acted positively by enforcing a demand for the removal of the tyres to the maximum amount required by law. The Shire claims the removal was done by the business owner, at no cost to the ratepayer, with none of its employees, including former staffer Christian Chadwick, involved. 

This action has removed a potential fire hazard and health risk, but only to a certain extent because some tyres still remain.

The question that is yet to be answered is to why this tyre pile was allowed to exist for so long in the middled York’s highly acclaimed, national heritage precinct. The answer is most likely through self-proclaimed local personalities engaging in self- interested local politics to the detriment of the rest of the community. In other words, some past Councillors who would gerrymander the democratic process!

There are three main towns in the Avon Arc- Toodyay, Northam and York with York the oldest and most historic.

Each of the others has well- appointed fuel service stations with all modern amenities.York has two fuel outlets that look like ramshackle public outhouses. (Dunnies if you prefer.)

These two establishments are branded by, and represent, two major, multi-billion dollar fuel companies, Shell and Gull.

Therefore it is about time that the Shire of York, representing the interests of a major historic town, wrote to both companies politely demanding that they improve the ambiance and quality of these outlets to reflect and show respect for their historic location and bring the overall services they provide into the second decade of the 21st Century.

If Shire of York staff does not have the ability to engage in such correspondence, pointing out the logical, commercial need for a positive response, then there are plenty around who can.

Another, yet to be properly explained, conundrum is why there is a large weed-infested, wire fenced-in, ghetto style, undeveloped block, smack in the middle of the commercial heart of York.

Based on its important location, the pertinent building authority should have placed a prerequisite caveat over the purchase and use of the property demanding that it must be developed within a certain time frame or severe penalties would apply.

Who would have been the building authority at that time? It is highly likely that it was the Shire of York, overwhelmed by the promise that a large commercial/residential premise was allegedly going to be built there. Who were incompetent?-guess!  Who got screwed?- the community

The Shire of York is in the process of navel contemplation being its Major Strategic Review 2016, full of extremely important  principles and guidelines that will take York through to the next decade.

Unfortunately, when someone wants to build a shed to house their pet elephants on a residential block, guidelines become a dysfunctional slide-rule, not the original principle commonly agreed to in the overall community interest.

Therefore, based on the standard Shire procedures and processes, there is absolutely nothing preventing current building codes and land occupancy requirements being amended to reflect a demand that the vacant block in question must be developed. If that is not the case, then it is germane that the community is told by the Shire exactly why it will not happen.

By the end of this month, York’s three senior shire amigos will be saddled up and ready to herd the town towards a new dawn.

Unfortunately a few community assets have already left the herd. Two iconic cafes have gone and another popular enterprise may soon follow.

Yet there is a possible commercial plus- York has a bus for hire. It is there to meet the massive local demand in the corporate, club and group, tourism and wedding markets. Probably not in York, because the business is called Avon-minibus-hire and the strength of York’s market demand is questionable.

It is the brainchild of York’s Donald Trump style entrepreneur, Mark Duperouzel, a former short-term Shire Deputy President, a self-proclaimed admirer of everything Ray Hooper had to offer, especially advice, and an unbelievably keen supporter of the Allawuna Farm, Perth refuse dumping project.

Mr Duperouzel may still find it regrettable that the project never came to fruition as it may have offered a daily ‘Big Day Out- Trip to our Tip’ tourist experience requiring the hire of his minibus.

Finally it is 12 months since the current Council members of the Shire of York council were elected.

There are still many unanswered questions, not the least of which is the future of the York Recreation and Convention Centre, how dire is the Shire’s real financial situation is, how it will rectify this situation and in what positive directions will York progress.

There is quality among the Councillors, but serious questions have been raised regarding one particular Council member that should be addressed. This is regarding personal dedication and adequate performance of the duties involved. York cannot afford a disinterested ‘bum on a seat’ and payment of a sinecure- no matter how pitiful the amount is.

A holistic overview of where York stands today, given all circumstances, local and peripheral, is that it is a glass half-full, or half-empty. The choice is yours.

One thing is certain, there will be no ‘quick-fix’! Four years will probably be the minimum term necessary for a raft of required, substantial positive results to emerge.

One more thing the community of York can be sure of is that its Council and shire administration will be monitored more closely than it has been in its entire 185-year-old history and there will be zero tolerance for any form of poor governance.

York ratepayers are investing in their future by paying the Shire’s three senior executives the equivalent of the annual base salary of three Federal Members of Parliament. So it should now be the understanding that everything created by the Shire is of a highly creditable standard- including the simplest of public communications.

Recently an official email (below) was sent from the Shire offices advising members of The Avon Park Working Group of a meeting. The day/date was wrong but more importantly the structure of its content was a literacy nightmare. It was unprofessional, a tautological mess that a twelve-year-old should be ashamed of.

Some may consider this small change, but in overall quality control in showing the required degree of competence- it is a big ticket item.


David Taylor

Dear Working Group Member,

Thank you for your willingness to be a member of the Avon Park Working Group for the Shire of York.

As a member of the Working Group, we ask you to participate in the first Avon Park Working Group meeting.

The Avon Park Working Group meeting will be held on:

Revised Date & Time: Wednesday 27^th October 2016 at 4pm

Shire of York Meeting Room

1 Joaquina St, York

The Shire of York looks forward to meeting you and values your contribution towards this project.

Kind Regards,

 Sharla Fythe

Technical Services Officer

Shire of York

Ph: (08) 9641 2233

Fax: (08) 9641 2202

tso@york.wa.gov.au

HOORAY FOR RAY.

It is official. Local Government Officers such as Ray Hooper and local government nefarious activity as described in an article in The West Australian Newspaper, by Kate Emery, titled “Councils collecting rubbish”, all about robbery, deception, graft, shonky gifts, and council member enforced censorship is entirely the fault of the local government election candidate choices made by WA ratepayers.

The State Government and the Department of Local Government and Communities bear no responsibility at all for the self-inflicted calamities befalling way-too-many Local Government Councils.

This evaluation comes from the very pinnacle of power, The WA Premier, Mr. Colin Barnett.

It is in the Premier’s response to a letter sent to him and the dearly departed Minister, Tony Simpson regarding the appointment of Ray Hooper as the Acting CEO of the Shire of Mukinbudin.

The Premier admits that there is an ongoing perception of some members of the community regarding Mr. Hooper’s tenure as CEO of the Shire of York. (Taken in his context ‘perceptions’ could mean ‘a matter of opinion only’ and ‘some members’ mean- a disgruntled few.)

He goes on to say in particular there has been some disapproval over financial and other decisions made by Mr. Hooper, particularly in relation to projects such as the York Recreation and Convention Centre. (Once again ‘some disapproval’ could mean from a disgruntled few.)

Now here come the best bits.

In the Premiers’ opinion such projects and the budgetary decisions associated with them, were overseen and supported by the elected council members at that time. (The fact that the YRCC was partially funded by his government, through its Royalties for Regions scheme, does not get a mention in accountability. So- obviously such expenditure, now $6 billion state-wide, is not monitored by his government as the Pilbara Real Estate financial fiasco shows.)

The Premiers’ assertions cast a wide discriminatory net, placing a vast cumulonimbus cloud of doubt over the reputations of every York Council Member who served during the time of Ray Hooper. These are Messrs Pat Hooper, Boyle, Scott, Fisher, Deleich, Randell, Smythe, Duperouzel, Lawrence and Walters. Even David Wallace and Matthew Reid were there. Some deserve it, but some do not.

The community itself does not come off lightly either. According to the Premier the elected members are accountable to the voters of their community for the elected council’s governance of that performance.

When you finally decipher what that means it suggests a Barnett Government policy of ‘caveat-emptor’ for ratepayers- insisting you voted for the councillors- you pay the price. Not one mention is made of the $108 million dollar per annum Department of Local Government and Communities which appears to be responsible for jack-shit where local government is concerned.

Now here comes the best ever Pontius Pilate impression. Views expressed to the Premier regarding the need for administrative and financial transparency in Local Government are appreciated but under The Local Government Act, 1995, Ray Hooper’s appointment by the Shire of Mukinbudin is another ‘buyer-beware’ situation. So if you get yourself a lemon?- learn to suck it up!

There are three impressions that you can get from this letter, besides being gold-logo embossed and personally signed, is that the 21-year-old Local Government Act is about as useless as mammary glands on a male bovine and in the end, any robbery, deception, graft, shonky gifts and local council enforced censorship, is the ratepayers fault.

Last but not least is that all the above also applies to the next State Election. So make sure you do not vote for a lemon.

David Taylor
Shire of York ratepayer.

Friday, 9 September 2016

APOCOLYPSE NOW- MUKINBUDIN STYLE.

WALGA’S RAY OF SUNSHINE-Behind the scenes ‘the voices of York’ have been loud and clear in condemnation of State and Local Government bureaucracy in its inability to engage with local communities to establish what their wants and needs really are. Also regarding a regime of Local Government, senior employees with no abilities and ethics who are continually reincarnated by inglorious bastard, finger-in-the-pie groups such as WALGA which make protectionist, militant, left wing union’s look like a church choir. Our community wants and needs are strictly limited to the wants and needs of WALGA’s often incompetent membership. So why bother giving any of these useless bureaucratic departments and agencies a spray? It is because they deserve it, and the day we stop- they have won.

Letter sent to Lynne Craigie, President WALGA, September 14, 2016.
Your Ref: - Acting CEO Ray Hooper.Congratulations

It appears that WALGA in an ersatz Local Government Mafiosi encouraging and perpetuating the lowest standards of officialdom within Local Government Areas, while retaining the highest level of poor quality administration and lack of ethics and morality among your members.

As you can see both Tony Simpson and the Premier have been in the past, and now in the present, made aware of local government community disrespect of the likes of Ray Hooper and by association, WALGA.

Yours sincerely
David Taylor.

Letter sent to Tony Simpson and Colin Barnett, September 11, 2016
Your ref: - RAY HOOPER former CEO- SHIRE OF YORKThe disgraced former CEO of the Shire of York, Ray Hooper, has resurrected himself as Acting CEO of the Mukinbudin Shire.

Two years ago it was reported in the press that Hooper had resigned amid accusations of misuse of a corporate credit card, using improper auditing procedures and engaging in the personal harassment of local ratepayers.

It has been alleged that Hooper left York with a multi-million dollar debt including a new convention centre and Shire-owned tavern in extreme financial difficulty and crumbling assets such as unmaintained and unsafe local roads.

Hooper’s activities were brought to the attention of the Major Fraud Squad and the CCC, but no charges have been laid (nor has he ever been officially exonerated.)

Hooper’s appointment has come at a time when the Auditor General, Colin Murphy, has continuously expressed grave concerns regarding the quality of the financial auditing of nearly 50 per cent of Local Governments in WA and questions have been asked regarding the capabilities of the Minister for Local Government and his department.  

Yours sincerely- David Taylor


Ray’s resurrection!

The only living creature that can survive a nuclear holocaust is believed to be the humble cockroach.

However, there is another great survivor, a humble Local Government love-child named Ray Hooper.

Now this brilliant example of local government administration aficionados’ is the Acting CEO of the

Shire of Mukinbudin. 

How lucky are the 491 locals who can look forward to his friendly smile, his personal generosity with the Shire’s Corporate Credit Card and getting a postcard when he attends an obscure conference in some Far-North Queensland holiday resort at their expense.

The Mukinbudin Council must have seen Ray’s enthusiastic referee statements from Kalgoorlie, Chittering and last, but not least, York. Then there are all the glowing testimonials in the Fitz-Gerald Report.

I am sure the Mukinbudin’s are mightily impressed with the lovely article which appeared in The West Australian after York’s much-loved leader resigned suddenly leaving the town physically, emotionally- and financially devastated.

Yes Mukinbudin now feels like it has just won ‘Lotto’.

So ring them up and ask to say ‘Gooday Ray’ or drop him a friendly email wishing him well.
The number is 9047 2100 and the email is admin@mukinbudin.wa.gov.au .

He is not wanted by the Major Fraud Squad or the Corruption and Crime Commission. So make him feel wanted by somebody!

OPEN LETTER TO THE MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

October 7, 2016
Hon Paul Miles
Minister for Local Government
8^th Floor Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
WEST PERTH, 6005

Your Ref: -     Mr. Brad Jolly, Executive Director Sector Regulations and Support
                        Department of Local Government and Communities

I bring to your attention the poor quality of service and support that Mr. Brad Jolly brings both to the above role and as the Presiding Member of the Local Government Standards Panel.

Just one example of Mr. Jolly’s ineptitude is featured in his relationship with fellow panel member, the Lord Mayor of Perth, Ms. Lisa Scaffidi, who has since resigned from this position because it was no longer tenable.

Despite the close association between Jolly and Ms. Scaffidi that should include instilling the concept of probity throughout local government, Ms. Scaffidi, ( and her Council), is now allegedly being investigated by the Corruption and Crime Commission for, among other things, the alleged lack of probity in accepting gifts and travel contributions.

On November 27, 2013, Mr. Jolly presented a widely read thesis ‘Maintaining Probity in Local Government, A State Regulator’s perspective’ in which he claimed ‘we don’t cross our fingers and hope’.

Three years later, In Ms. Scaffidi’s case and numerous other similar instances, Mr. Jolly’s, claim could not be further from the truth.

Yours sincerely

David Taylor.


Please read this social media comment

BRADJOLLINA’S FOLLY:  The world’s number one Hollywood A-List couple, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, commonly known as Branjelina, is no more.

Unfortunately, the head of the ‘D-List’ at the other Hollywood, the Department of Local Government and Communities, is still there. Brad Jolly remains the local government savant of make believe in DLGC Tinsel Town.

The English language can be complex with words having different meanings but with the same spelling- or the same pronunciation with different meanings. An example is ‘eight hunters ate the rare, skinned-bare bear, when medium rare, while deciding where to wear the bears’ skin or just hide the hide’.

However words commonly used by Brad Jolly such as ‘Probity’ and ‘Autonomous’ have little to no ambiguity. Autonomous in particular has the meaning of self-ruling, self-determining and free.

Time and time again it is documented that Jolly claims that within the Local Government Act, 1995 it is clearly stated that Local Governments are ‘autonomous incorporated bodies’. On advisement from someone who should know- this comes straight from the script for ‘Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory’, a fabulous Brad Jolly style fable.

It is now time for the new Minister for Local Government, Paul Miles, to take the step of telling Jolly to prove it. Exactly what regulation, statute, decree, dictum, order or commandment in any state law now in full force and effect in Western Australia does Jolly quote to make this unequivocal claim? If he cannot provide the required answer then he should jolly well resign.

Another related meaning for autonomous is uncontrolled. So without being smart enough to know it, this is where Jolly is right about himself and the DLGC.

If you have any valid complaint against your local council tell the Ombudsman, the WA Planning and Building commissions, the Public Sector Commission, the Corruption and Crime Commission or get yourself a lawyer. Do not bother contacting the Department of Local Government and Communities.
(And certainly do not contact the WA Police. That would make Local Government officials look just like common criminals who cruelly steal from those they do not know. Dacre Alcock, the CEO of the Shire of Dowerin stole from his friends, neighbours, work colleagues, in fact the whole community. There is nothing uncommon about that.)

Instead of handling complaints the DLGC is way too busy spending $30 million of its $108 million annual costs on employee benefits (where life really is a Jolly box of chocolates) and whatever else it takes to have nothing to do with local government. It is difficult to locate any Key Performance Indicators that the DLGC actually meets.

That is until an autonomous incorporated body (a Shire Council) tells the DLGC that it is an autonomous incorporated body and not to use the control it keeps telling everyone it does not have- and ‘piss-off’.

All of a sudden the DLGC decides that Local Government Councils like York are out of control and are no longer an A.I.B. Forget the autonomous incorporated body crap and send in a commissioner chosen by the Minister and the DLGC to take despotic- totalitarian control that is autocratic, not autonomous.

Sorry Jolly you cannot have it both ways. Tony Simpson has paid the price, now it should by your turn.

What the DLGC does with everyone’s hard earned tax dollars, other than keep it rich and infamous, is anybody’s guess and everyone’s worst nightmare.

David Taylor
Shire of York ratepayer.

TYRELESS YORK (and the Shire of York Website).

The tyre fairies, assuredly complete with the required waste removal permits, have whisked away the offensive pile of rotting rubber from the main street, hopefully never to be seen again within the Shire of York which has no adequate, legal, permanent disposal facility.

Unfortunately they were specifically ‘Tyre Fairies’ and the car bodies and car batteries (with the attendant carcinogenic chemical elements), as well as rats, mice and the odd dugite have yet to be removed.

The Shire of York, as an entity, should be applauded for its efforts in finally removing a potentially dangerous eyesore. It would have engaged with the business owners citing from the Policy Manual 2016, Council Policy/ Governance CP 1 5 ‘Enforcement’ that includes, in ‘Principles’, notwithstanding (a) immediate action is taken when required to ensure public health and safety and for the protection of the environment.

This Shire of York was notified of the problem on September 5, 2016, so its response was less than immediate- but to be equitable to all parties involved there would have had to be time taken for procedural fairness regarding the issuing of infringement notices and obtaining the required permits to remove, transport, and store the offending rubber goods.

A stimulus to increase the speed of the process may have come on September 15, 2016, when Environmental Health Officer, Mr. George Johnson, should have read the warning by the WA Health Department regarding the increased volume of mosquitos and the increased risk of related infections throughout southern WA this summer. He should then have ascertained that the risk to the York community could be exacerbated by tyre-style, stagnant swimming pools for mosquito lava being in the main street, and proceed accordingly.

In the best interest of proper, effective community engagement including accountability, Mr. Johnson should now advise ratepayers, through the Shire of York Official Website, that all proper procedures were undertaken in this matter and that these tyres have not been retained within the shires’ Local Government Area boundaries as occurred in 2014.

Regarding the Shire of York Website an email was sent to the Chief-Executive-Officer, Mr. Paul Martin, on September 29, 2016, querying the quality and timely updating of this extremely important local government community information resource.

Specifically it raised the issue that important additions to the Shire of York Administrative staff had still not been listed as being members of staff, even though their appointments had been approved and ratified by Council weeks ago.

It was suggested to Mr. Martin that this tardiness was unacceptable in any other sphere of government and/or private enterprise and tended to suggest either inefficiency or laziness. (Obviously, the problem was recognised and the names and employment positions of these three employees broadcast on the Website within 24-hours.)

From now on it would be in the best interest of the Shire of York to use its website as a transparent community conduit advising every one of the processes it is undertaking to provide responsible local government. A supposedly new era in administration requires vastly improved channels providing for openness and accountability.

Mr. Martin has arguably agreed, responding by stating that the broadcast of the details of the new employees should have been sooner. The Shire now has someone who is responsible for the development and updating of the site and its improvement is a high priority. Although not specified, the employee most likely is the Executive Manager Corporate and Community Services, Ms. Suzie Haslehurst who has Information Technology as part of her brief.

In the near future this should allow Mr. Martin to provide relevant information of concern to the community  within a designated page of the Shire of York Website, thereby potentially reducing the number of concerned ratepayers forced to the only public recourse available to them =Question Time at Ordinary (and Extraordinary) Council Meetings.

It is slightly bemusing that the content of this innocuous correspondence from Mr. Martin is claimed by the Shire of York Administration as being confidential (including attachments) and potentially privileged information. The only attachment was my original correspondence to Mr. Martin which is subject to my right to confidentiality and privilege that is not required.

Nothing in Mr. Martin’s correspondence could be considered confidential by any legal authority and if released publically (which it has) any breach of confidentiality case would be thrown out of court.

Basically why this potential threat of ‘confidential’ is used by all levels of government in its correspondence is because there can be no confidence in the accuracy of what has been written. You are certainly not privileged to receive this pap. The confidential clause is there to provide immunity to the Minister, department and agency from public humiliation.

One positive is that the Shire of York’s administration ‘Dream Team’ is now positioned with positive results not only to be expected but demanded. The fact that two iconic cafes in York, the Carriage and the former Bugatti’s are closed and a massive Aldi’s shopping complex is being built in Northam is not going to make York’s financial resurrection any easier or give the dream team a dream run.


David Taylor.