Tom Sharp's
Blog
08-11-2023
Pathway to Efficiency and Effectiveness
EVIDENCE with just a few EXAMPLES – there are many more.
Scenic Rim Regional Council’s record is a failure. It has demonstrated a disregard for Budget discipline, financial prudence, honesty, and transparency.
For example:
Capital Works
a) The Beaudesert Industrial Estate development using in-house labour. Estimated cost blowout 2.5 million dollars – three years behind schedule, and revenue from land sales over the last three years likely NIL.
b) Beaudesert Town Parkland development. The estimated cost, including ancillary capital works – $8 million. Likely cost to complete – double: $16 million.
c) 2,300 square metre Beaudesert Library and connection/integration to Council Admin centre. Estimate 12 million dollars; likely new cost estimate – $24 million plus.
BROMELTON INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
Scenic Rim Council endorsed two Federal grants for community infrastructure estimated at $15 million to private company SCT to develop an intermodal transport hub at Bromelton to produce thousands of jobs to seed development. Since its completion, less than 200 jobs have been created, and no new industries have been established in the State Development Area. Because of this, the community was robbed of infrastructure such as sports fields, swimming pools, and parks and gardens.
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN GALLERY WALK
Council purchased the Tamborine Winery Long Road land for an estimated $6.5 million at the top of the land boom bubble. It proposed selling a large portion of land with the existing buildings for $3 million. Council was warned of its folly. Previously, the whole site had been on the market for just over 4 million dollars for years and had failed to secure a buyer. Council was a real woodchuck gullible buyer. The state government downgraded Councils’ financial status, citing the likely inability to realise the proposed 3 million dollars of revenue.
ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE IN BOONAH AVERTED?
Who remembers September 2020, when the Council wanted to chop down all the beautiful mature Himalayan Ash shade trees in Boonah Town Centre to make way for new landscaping? Council was manically adamant the trees were a danger to the ecology of Boonah, and that the trees would spread their seeds far and wide and create enormous environmental damage.
The community banded together and signed a petition to keep the trees. A reluctant Council gave in and removed just one. But to save face, they resolved that THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY install A $100,000 Gross Pollution Trap (GPT) in its town drainage system to capture the terrifying seeds and make sure they would not escape and wreak havoc in the Boonah regional environment.
Four years later, the Council has not installed the GPT, and nobody in Boonah Town has died suffering from environmental harm. Who said the Council had a culture of dishonesty?
NEW COUNCIL LIBRARY ON TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
Scenic Rim Council is advised of a Commonwealth (CW) funding grant and likely applies for a half-dozen projects that may fit the criteria. The CW and our local Federal Member Scott Buchholtz advocated for the Mountain, and the Council is told of the successful projects, including Tamborine Mtn’s library. Without consultation with the Divisional Councillor, it releases plans for the library devoid of toilets as specified in the building code of Australia for a public building of this size. They say that they can’t change the plans, and no money is available to provide toilets for the public, only one for the four staff who will work there, and one for disabled persons. However, at the end of the fit-out and construction, they realised they didn’t fund the outdoor utility area and immediately found an extra 350,000 dollars to do it. The public deserves a more honest and fiscally mature Council.
CEO GOES AWOL ON A TOTAL ESTIMATED $350,000 PLUS SALARY
Where is our CEO, David Keenan? He is not sick – sources say he has not applied for leave except for one week to participate in the AFL Masters Games. That was over a month ago. The media right across the region is asking this question, and the Council will not respond to their questions. The staff and Councillors are split and divided; the culture is more toxic than ever.
Word is that the Mayor, not working alone, has contrived a scenario whereby Mayor Christensen has acted unilaterally and suspended the CEO. With another Councillor being absent and on personal leave, the other Councillors have claimed they are powerless to act to right the wrong.
Meanwhile, ratepayers are paying for a CEO who has been told he cannot RETURN TO WORK. HE HASN’T BEEN SACKED, and he has contractual rights to seek compensation for damages to reputation, etc, under his employment contract. Are we to see another example of Council maladministration? Ratepayers and residents cannot elect such an irresponsible, divided Council with a poisonous culture. Who would want to work there, and why are there so many staff vacancies and leaks from the organisation? In this debacle, where is the State Government and Local Government Minister Steven Miles?
PIG AND CALF SALEYARDS, BEAUDESERT
Council initially claimed to Councillors and the public it would cost just $50,000 to mount a court case to oppose the Heritage listing of the Pig and Calf Saleyards.
Many months later, it refused to answer questions in subsequent Council meetings about the cost of the legal action, because it was mounting. Ultimately, they came clean and revealed it was close to $230,000.
Remember, they said they couldn’t afford to upgrade the saleyards.
Remember, the Council, without a Council resolution, cancelled the lease of the saleyards auctioneer.
SOLUTION
· We need to end the farce and elect new Councillors who you can trust and stand up and represent you.
· We need performing executive staff and leadership.
· We must give the loyal and performing staff the support and encouragement they deserve and end the toxic culture.
· We need to embed a culture of productivity and consultative decision-making.
· We need to introduce transparent Council meetings and greater access to the media of Council decisions and processes.
· We need to welcome the role of the media and provide them assistance to report on issues and keep the public informed.
· We must stop the Council’s one-sided trumpet-blowing about how good it is. We need to see results, not just cheap talk, press releases and spin.
· We need Councillors and staff to work together to achieve community outcomes.
· We need to reduce the number of consultants and employ staff who can formulate policies and strategies, not simply hire consultants and then claim credit for the consultants’ work.
These solutions apply common sense to STOP the toxic culture, STOP the waste and inefficiency and obtain better value for our rates and grants
Scenic Rim Regional Council’s record is a failure. It has demonstrated a disregard for Budget discipline, financial prudence, honesty, and transparency.
For example:
Capital Works
a) The Beaudesert Industrial Estate development using in-house labour. Estimated cost blowout 2.5 million dollars – three years behind schedule, and revenue from land sales over the last three years likely NIL.
b) Beaudesert Town Parkland development. The estimated cost, including ancillary capital works – $8 million. Likely cost to complete – double: $16 million.
c) 2,300 square metre Beaudesert Library and connection/integration to Council Admin centre. Estimate 12 million dollars; likely new cost estimate – $24 million plus.
BROMELTON INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
Scenic Rim Council endorsed two Federal grants for community infrastructure estimated at $15 million to private company SCT to develop an intermodal transport hub at Bromelton to produce thousands of jobs to seed development. Since its completion, less than 200 jobs have been created, and no new industries have been established in the State Development Area. Because of this, the community was robbed of infrastructure such as sports fields, swimming pools, and parks and gardens.
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN GALLERY WALK
Council purchased the Tamborine Winery Long Road land for an estimated $6.5 million at the top of the land boom bubble. It proposed selling a large portion of land with the existing buildings for $3 million. Council was warned of its folly. Previously, the whole site had been on the market for just over 4 million dollars for years and had failed to secure a buyer. Council was a real woodchuck gullible buyer. The state government downgraded Councils’ financial status, citing the likely inability to realise the proposed 3 million dollars of revenue.
ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE IN BOONAH AVERTED?
Who remembers September 2020, when the Council wanted to chop down all the beautiful mature Himalayan Ash shade trees in Boonah Town Centre to make way for new landscaping? Council was manically adamant the trees were a danger to the ecology of Boonah, and that the trees would spread their seeds far and wide and create enormous environmental damage.
The community banded together and signed a petition to keep the trees. A reluctant Council gave in and removed just one. But to save face, they resolved that THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY install A $100,000 Gross Pollution Trap (GPT) in its town drainage system to capture the terrifying seeds and make sure they would not escape and wreak havoc in the Boonah regional environment.
Four years later, the Council has not installed the GPT, and nobody in Boonah Town has died suffering from environmental harm. Who said the Council had a culture of dishonesty?
NEW COUNCIL LIBRARY ON TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
Scenic Rim Council is advised of a Commonwealth (CW) funding grant and likely applies for a half-dozen projects that may fit the criteria. The CW and our local Federal Member Scott Buchholtz advocated for the Mountain, and the Council is told of the successful projects, including Tamborine Mtn’s library. Without consultation with the Divisional Councillor, it releases plans for the library devoid of toilets as specified in the building code of Australia for a public building of this size. They say that they can’t change the plans, and no money is available to provide toilets for the public, only one for the four staff who will work there, and one for disabled persons. However, at the end of the fit-out and construction, they realised they didn’t fund the outdoor utility area and immediately found an extra 350,000 dollars to do it. The public deserves a more honest and fiscally mature Council.
CEO GOES AWOL ON A TOTAL ESTIMATED $350,000 PLUS SALARY
Where is our CEO, David Keenan? He is not sick – sources say he has not applied for leave except for one week to participate in the AFL Masters Games. That was over a month ago. The media right across the region is asking this question, and the Council will not respond to their questions. The staff and Councillors are split and divided; the culture is more toxic than ever.
Word is that the Mayor, not working alone, has contrived a scenario whereby Mayor Christensen has acted unilaterally and suspended the CEO. With another Councillor being absent and on personal leave, the other Councillors have claimed they are powerless to act to right the wrong.
Meanwhile, ratepayers are paying for a CEO who has been told he cannot RETURN TO WORK. HE HASN’T BEEN SACKED, and he has contractual rights to seek compensation for damages to reputation, etc, under his employment contract. Are we to see another example of Council maladministration? Ratepayers and residents cannot elect such an irresponsible, divided Council with a poisonous culture. Who would want to work there, and why are there so many staff vacancies and leaks from the organisation? In this debacle, where is the State Government and Local Government Minister Steven Miles?
PIG AND CALF SALEYARDS, BEAUDESERT
Council initially claimed to Councillors and the public it would cost just $50,000 to mount a court case to oppose the Heritage listing of the Pig and Calf Saleyards.
Many months later, it refused to answer questions in subsequent Council meetings about the cost of the legal action, because it was mounting. Ultimately, they came clean and revealed it was close to $230,000.
Remember, they said they couldn’t afford to upgrade the saleyards.
Remember, the Council, without a Council resolution, cancelled the lease of the saleyards auctioneer.
SOLUTION
· We need to end the farce and elect new Councillors who you can trust and stand up and represent you.
· We need performing executive staff and leadership.
· We must give the loyal and performing staff the support and encouragement they deserve and end the toxic culture.
· We need to embed a culture of productivity and consultative decision-making.
· We need to introduce transparent Council meetings and greater access to the media of Council decisions and processes.
· We need to welcome the role of the media and provide them assistance to report on issues and keep the public informed.
· We must stop the Council’s one-sided trumpet-blowing about how good it is. We need to see results, not just cheap talk, press releases and spin.
· We need Councillors and staff to work together to achieve community outcomes.
· We need to reduce the number of consultants and employ staff who can formulate policies and strategies, not simply hire consultants and then claim credit for the consultants’ work.
These solutions apply common sense to STOP the toxic culture, STOP the waste and inefficiency and obtain better value for our rates and grants