2011 is turning out to be a somewhat torrid time for Launceston's General Manager and Launceston City Council's ratepayers. Today's story – 9-2-2011 - in The Examiner there is yet another story carrying subliminal messages.
Mr Dobrzynski used the article to "hit back at material on the former city museum director's website." ... click here to directly access the story
The story reports that on the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery's (QVMAG) ex-director's, Patrick Filmer-Sankey, website Mr Dobrzynski is documented as sending an email from his iPhone that read: "Poor sad Patrick."
Mr Filmer-Sankey has been using his website to criticise the council and the reasons for his dismissal last year for some time now.
Interestingly, Mr Dobrzynski is reported as saying that "he was concerned at their effect on his museum staff" – that is Mr Filmer-Sankey's assertions and commentaries on his website – and furthermore he went on to say "at times, as leader of that organisation [the QVMAG], I feel I need to comment."
Curiously, Launceston's ratepayers seems to have been operating under a delusion that the QVMAG has a new Director, Mr Richard Mulvaney, and that the Mayor is the leader of the QVMAG given that the museum is ultimately accountable to Council and not the General Manager. However, Mr Dobrzynski seems to think that the cap is his even if it doesn't fit.
Apparently all this has been going on somewhat under Mayor Albert van Zetten's radar. Even if it is late in the day the Mayor has "since spoken to Mr Dobrzynski about the matter" – the GM's comments to Mr Filmer-Sankey that is – and apparently offering the advice to "not to get involved in these things."
Despite this, Mr Dobrzynski said in the article that Council was taking legal advice which will doubtlessly cost Launceston's hapless ratepayers a motza. Goodness only knows how well the legal fraternity is already doing out of Mr Dobrzynski's 'museum management issues' to date. There is no way that it is insubstantial. What is more to the point, these legal expenses for the most part are quite likely designed to protect Mr Dobrzynski's reputation as much as, if not more than, Council's. It is very very hard to see a benefit to the ratepayers in this kind of legal expense.
When will the Aldermen get a handle on all this and start to take care of the ratepayers to whom they are accountable and who will be holding them so again at this years Council elections?
2011 in Launceston started out with Mr Dobrzynski pouring cold water over any notion of there being any street celebration for New Year in the city. January finished with Mr Dobrzynski telling Aldermen "to butt out of a review of the council's road line marking program." ... click here to directly access that story.
And then there was the QVMAG air conditioning ducts debacle when Mr. Dobrzynski, paraphrased, asserted the project had been appropriately approved. However, it seems that it has turned out otherwise. Here it seems that Launceston's hapless ratepayers may well be the losers yet again in that they are likely to find themselves on the wrong end of an avoidable cost over run.
If ratepayers are getting tired of the press publishing these stories involving Mr. Dobrzynski it is understandable given that there is typically a cost to them flagged in these stories. It is appreciated that the press that reports on the stories but it is just the case that ratepayers wish that Mr. Dobrzynski didn't keep giving cause for these stories to be published and sounding the alarm bells that they do. It's time that the city's Aldermen got on top of this situation and put a stop to the burgeoning extraordinary out of budget expenditure precipitated by their General Manager.
7 comments:
I think this is somewhat unfair to the General Manager. Anyone who cares to expose themselves to the abuse and vilification expressed on the two websites concerned can plainly see that these two disgruntled ex-employees are the ones actively attempting to provoke Council staff, Aldermen and even the 'uninvolved' Mayor. The 'opinions' expressed on these websites are one sided and selective, being aimed at the GM, a few Aldermen and some (not all) of the Sage Investigation participants. Both websites have resulted in public and private victimisation of community members and their families. This alone is illegal under Tasmania's Anit-Discrimination Act. If there are other breaches of the law then why should they not be dealt with?
It is clear that the owners of these websites are the ones soliciting media attention. They want a public fight and the Examiner seems to be a willing participant. Perhaps if the Examiner told the whole story Ratepayers would have a clearer idea of what has really been happening.
Personally, and as a Ratepayer, I commend the General Manager for not having responded to this extreme provocation up until now. I commend him for his integrity, honesty and self control in dealing with this issue which is something far beyond what most people will ever experience. I thank him for supporting his staff and the community members affected by this.
The GM is defending Council and its staff. This is what we pay him to do. Of course it should never have got to this point. I think its a shame that the current GM is being given a hard time for dealing with a problem that should (and could) have been dealt with by his predecessor.
Yes, Anonymous, I can support most of your views, but the GM could have dealt with the process in a more kind manner because his chosen approach has been a major influence on the provocative manner in which the two ex-staff members retalliated.
Also, nothing excuses the GM from his innapropriate action in the salutation to Patrick as POOR SAD PATRICK.
Beyond the issues of the QVMAG sackings,the GM has continued to work against his staff and ratepayers. His dictatorial approach naturally attracts resentment.
Empathy, courtesy and economic management strategies are the missing ingredients to his modus operandii.
Beware the ides of March.
As far as Caesar knew, the ides were just another day!!
Signed
Junius Brutus
Idus Martii
I do not think the GM could have afforded to be kind. It was a workplace health and safety issue and he is bound by legal responsibilities. However, in my opinion he was certainly fair. Both ex-employees chose not to take advantage of this and of course that is their right. But in the end it was their behavior and the choices they made that got them to where they are now. The websites are merely a continuation and confirmation of the bad management practices and bad behavior that was happening in the workplace. It was a workplace that was neither kind nor fair. Patrick has been happily twisting the knife into other people continuously and publicly. No one has retaliated or been able to defend themselves so I think this small comment is 'fair enough' and understandable.
I have not found the GM as you say. Quite the opposite. I hope he is given longer that the ides of March to bring about much needed change in Council's workplace culture. I sincerely hope there will be no more talk of stabbings, assassinations and conspiracies Brutus! I think we have all had enough of that.
Oh..... Junius Brutus, you remind me so much of The Life Of Bwian ...or in this case is it.... THE LIFE OF PATWICK ???
Wobert would make a weally gweat 'Biggus Dickus' as Nortius Maximus once said "I have a vewy gweat fwiend called Biggus Dickus.... Wath it thomthing I thaid? ... Biggus Dickus the high wanking officer. He wanks as high as anywone in Wanceston.
Along with those other wapscallions Patwick and his jellywish pwerson Incontententia Buttocks, they have entertained us so much better than the Life of Bwian ever could in these recent months.... !!!
Sillius soddus all of 'em weally .... !!!
But just remember cast.... Always look on the bright side of life.. (whistling....)
A curse on your chickenhouse Anonymous, what's wrong with a few stabbings, assassinations and the like.
The Town Hall has been Launceston's Colluseum for years. Barely have the blood stains been mopped from the parquetry and there's more appear.
ONYA BRUTUS
Anonymouses 1 & 2 (?) and Junius Brutus seem to have only looked at that part of this story to do with the provocative websites produced by the two ex museum staff. As a ratepayer I too believe that the continued employment of these two people would have not served ratepayer’s interests at all well. This was further brought home when the $340K loss generated by that absurdly expensive Game On exhibition was exposed.
It is a loss that will be born by us ratepayers either by an underlying and hidden increase in our rates or a loss of services. Most likely it will be both looking at this GM’s performance.
Aside from the QVMAG debacle this GM seems intent on expanding his authority and spending powers, which if the aldermen do not call him to heal will inevitably bring about an increase in our rates bills. It is already evident that we are getting less bang for our bucks and increasingly this is looking like it is down to the GM’s management style.
Launceston’s aldermen are increasingly looking like they are redundant because they are allowing the GM to all too often usurp their authority. Telling the aldermen to get out of the way in regard to those ridiculous and by and large unsafe bike lanes approaches the unconscionable!
Have the aldermen got the ticker hold the GM to account at his next performance review. If they do not there is every prospect that our rates will increase even more that they did last year.
POOR SAD RATEPAYERS!
Do not lose sight of the fundamental principle in any workplace. The duty of care encumbrance to any responsible officer, (the G.M.),to provide a safe workplace for ALL of their employees. Despite the attempts at smoke screens and mirrors,the G.M. has succeeded with complete integrity on this matter. Thank you.
Michael Swanton, Secretary, Association of Australian Workers.
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