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Contact Peter at wheeler@inspire.net.nz
This Week: A Paul Wylie special…
As we are all no doubt aware Paul Wylie the highest ranking staff member of the PNCC has tendered his resignation to the Mayor and councillors and unless the council decides to buy out his notice period [which they may decide to do] he will remain until March 2007. His notice was according to some sources not unexpected. It was rumoured that he had applied for positions in various South Island locations [Christchurch and Tasman but this has not been confirmed, as he was not taking calls]. The following is the message he sent to staff advising them of his decision to quit. I have added in Italics my comments and corrected the spelling and grammar.
"Dear friends, [?]Over the last few weeks I have done "a lot of thinking". Normally everyone gets a little worried when I use that phrase, as they know that it signals some change. This time the change is about me. The correspondence below is self-explanatory. Regards Paul". What follows is a message to Councillors with email & Cr. Adrian Broad. It was sent on the 30th November 2006 at 20.16 hours.
Good day Councillorsthis evening I have personally orally advised the Mayor of my decision to resign as Chief Executive. Set out below is my formal letter of resignation.
[Name, phone and home address removed]
30 November 2006
The Mayor and councillorsPalmerston North City Council
Dear Heather and Councillors,My recent holiday has provided me with the opportunity to consider my personal situation and my future with the Palmerston North City Council. When I originally arrived in the city it was at a time when the population was starting to decline, the council organization was somewhat demoralized, and the elected council was in a state of disharmony. Since then we have returned to steady population growth, and the council organization is revitalized and functioning well. [Many would say the opposite]For a time the elected council enjoyed a consensus approach [Wrong council always votes on all issues and rarely acts on consensus] to most matters, but regrettably, the elected council is once again in a state of disharmony. [Disharmony for whom?]While I take some pride in the advances that the city has made, most Councillors will recognize that there has been a considerable personal cost to my immediate family and myself. The demands of successfully running a billion-dollar community owned enterprise are very large on their own. When those demands are coupled with the challenges of keeping [Controlling] a fractious council on target, the price starts to become unsustainable over a long term. Councillors are aware of the excessive hours that I have been working for some time. The hours of themselves [?] are not the problem. The problems arise when one works [I work] those hours and achieves set targets, only to find that a section of the councillors are not supportive of either the Chief Executive or staff in general. [If councillors vote for other points of view this is not being supportive, really?] After carefully reviewing these considerations I have decided that I owe it to myself, and my family to put my own life back in order. Please accept this letter as my official resignation from the position of Chief Executive of the Palmerston North City Council. In the terms of my contract I am required to give three months notice. At this stage I intend to work through until mid March 2007. Council is scheduled to approve a Draft Annual Plan for the 2007/2008 year on the 16th of March 2007. I would expect that to be my last official duty. [Unless council recommends he depart earlier as is often done]Councillors may be interested to know that I returned to work last Monday with an offer to take up employment in another city in my possession. [Was it offered or applied for?] After observing Monday night’s meeting I had little hesitation accepting that offer.Those who know me will understand that I have made this decision with many regrets. Palmerston North can be the leading provincial city in New Zealand and I am sad that I am leaving with the job only half done. However the city does have a fine LTCCP, and great staff who will work very hard to meet the plan's milestones. Provided councillors adhere to that plan, I am confident that the goal will be achieved.I wish to acknowledge and thank the councillors, both past and present who [that] did support the Chief Executive and his staff. Management can only be as good as their governance arm lets them, and the gains that the city has made are a credit to the courage and wisdom of those individuals. [Is it not true that he was and is being paid around three hundred thousand dollars and that the management members receive very good salaries, courage? Wisdom?]I wish the city the very best of good fortune in the future.Yours sincerely Paul Wylie" Message ends. 2.
Well there it is, so now you the reader can decide what to make of it. I would be fibbing if I were to suggest that I’m unhappy about staff member Paul Wylie’s departure. Yet it would be fair to say that I would have preferred to see him retire. In my view after his turbulent time in the health field during the slash and burn years and the massive staff changes here in Palmerston North he would be ready to rest on the laurels that he himself suggests in his letter of resignation printed above. To some extent he is correct to say we have a sound LTCCP or we will have, when we rewrite it leaving out all the aspects that were rejected by the citizens. I’m saddened but not surprised that the reasons for his departure relate to those others [who he fails to name] who follow democratic principles and processes. While Mayor Heather Tanguay [According to the Manawatu Standard on Friday the 1st of December 2006]. Suggests that the high point of her employee was the episode of the wind farm, my view is depending on the findings of the high court, that that particular event could in fact be the low point. I must admit that one future activity concerns me, and that is who writes a reference for an out going top executive of a city council. I know who should, the citizens. I hope whoever does makes it public.
I can’t help but end with my overheard at the café scene, so here goes. [Remember it’s simply a tale!]
Bob: Did you read the bosses email?
June: Sure did.
Bob: And what did you think.
June: About what.
Bob: About him leaving of course. Did you notice we are his friends now?
June: Yes but I haven’t got a view, I mean he can come and go as he pleases.
Bob: Yeah that’s true, he earns in one year what we do in ten.
June: Still we are better off than he is.
Bob: How’s that?
June: We haven’t got all those nasty councillors upsetting us, not voting the right way and that guy wheeler sure got up his nose.
Bob: Yeah that’s true. Do you still get Wheeler’s Corners?
June: Sure do. Funny how this should happen now, what with Don Brash and the Fijian guy Bainimarama who wants to kick out those elected legally, could that happen here?
Bob: Anything is possibly in this day and age. I wonder if that’s that local council that’s hired him? You know Suva.
June: Come on we had better get out and issue some more parking tickets he doesn’t leave until March next year… and unlike him we need our jobs". June and Bob departed the café and where replaced by a couple of senior staff who seemed deeply concerned about their future… The comments below were received regarding this issue in response to my ‘Early Christmas present’ email.
1. "The comment about councillors not being supportive of either the chief executive or the staff in general reveals a false perception of the CEO's role. As councillors were told at Local Government training for elected members, the role of the CEO is to support the mayor and councillors, not the other way around! Heather's role with the re-appointment of a replacement will be pivotal, and will require all the support she can get. Cheers"
2. Wahoo!! Can you be reinstated to Awapuni then?
3. Hi Peter, Good news indeed. We will have to be more careful whom we employ next time. Have a nice day,
4. Thanks for good news to brighten a not so nice day. Regards
5. We learn the ropes of life by untying the knots.
6. Peter, I bet you are beaming from ear to ear! Keep me posted. Cheers
7. And a good present too !!!!!!!
8. Tasman are the lucky Local Authority [Confirmed by the Saturday Dominion]
My God says, just a couple of weeks ago I told you that the battlers and the little guys would have a win and that victory was just around the corner… now do you believe me?
Peter J Wheeler
Wheeler@inspire.net.nz
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