Members had so much interest in hearing what Waipā CEO Steph O’Sullivan had to say, Cambridge Chamber booked a bigger venue, where senior writer Mary Anne Gill grabbed a one on one with the council boss.
Waipa CEO Steph O’Sullivan
It hasn’t taken Steph O’Sullivan long to get her feet under the first floor desk at Waipā District Council.
Except the desk could be anywhere because she has spent so little time at council headquarters in Te Awamutu since she started last month.
The new chief executive is eight weeks into the job – part way through her 30, 60, 90 day plan – and visiting as much of the 1447 sq kms of the district and meeting as many of the 62,700 residents as she can.
It was the turn of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce last week in the Town Hall – hastily booked when the council’s Cambridge service centre was too small to cope with the 100 plus members who had RSVPed.
She started her address with a bit of history – telling the chamber she grew up in Tokoroa but had an ongoing relationship with Cambridge where she used to coming for shopping trips.
She felt very privileged to now be in the public service and in Waipā which is one of the top five growth districts in New Zealand.
“Our business is not like your businesses,” she said.
It had 1445 unique legislative obligations and was annually assessed – making its ability to be entrepreneurial, move swiftly and adapt very difficult.
Cambridge Chamber members are all ears as they listen to Waipa CEO Steph O’Sullivan. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
“We are a creature of statute. We’re a creature created by central Government and you’ve just seen with Wellington City Council, we’re under the purview of ministers who don’t hesitate to move.
“So that’s what makes our business different.”
O’Sullivan said when she started the job in Waipā, councillors told her she had to make sure the district was fit for the future, hence the extended road show.
“We’re working with the community, not doing things to the community… placing council in the best position to deliver for you, our community.
“And that’s not an easy journey, so can you give me a few months?”
In introducing O’Sullivan, chamber chief executive Kelly Bouzaid talked about prudent financial and risk management and transformational leadership.
“I’ll be going about that work particularly in the first year as I get my feet under the table and understand where we’re at,” said O’Sullivan.
She told The News the council had lost the trust of the Cambridge community earlier this year with what has now been termed the Blue Blob debacle but was actually Cambridge Connections.
“It didn’t go according to plan,” she said of the project which named a preferred site for a third Waikato River bridge through an established part of the town.
“We’re up for that conversation again. I totally accept that council didn’t live up to the mark on that and didn’t meet community expectations and it’s eroded trust and confidence in us. Mea culpa, didn’t get that right, go back to the drawing board on that one,” she had earlier told the meeting.
O’Sullivan has already made her presence felt around the council table telling councillors at a recent Long Term Plan workshop the 17 per cent rate increase should not have come as a surprise to them.
Part of the Cambridge Chamber membership who heard from Waipa CEO Steph O’Sullivan.
“The staff have been signalling them, in particular at the executive level. That trade off between moving to an enhanced annual plan last year did not negate or minimise or reduce the difficulties we’re going to face this year,” she told The News.
Staff had also followed councillors’ instruction not to cut services, she said at the workshop when there was a suggestion the council might have to do that.
As a growth district, Waipā was experiencing economic pains over and above what other districts were.
“But what couldn’t have been anticipated was what happened in the economy,” she said.
“I don’t think you can expect senior execs and local government to do something that nationally recognised economists can’t do.”
Making it worse for Waipā was when developments were put on hold or delayed, so too were contributions to the council which are paid at their completion.
O’Sullivan said she was enjoying her job and meeting residents.
“There’s a lot of people that are challenged and affordability is an issue, and we know a lot of people are really doing it hard at the moment, but I think there’s great opportunity here.”
See: Chamber reveals consultants’ bill
See: A welcome change
The News’ columnist Peter Carr catches up with Waipa councillor Mike Montgomerie at the Meet the Waipa CEO event held in the Town Hall. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Waipa CEO Steph O’Sullivan. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
