Sad indictment on our community

I had previously posted my opinion on The Standard editorial that attacked the council CEO but recent events illustrate why our CEO got fed up with this council and resigned. Working with 16 “bosses” is a difficult enough task for anyone. Working with 16 employers when a very small number of them are continually critical, not of the work you do but of who you are, is a situation I hope to never find myself in.

Our Chief Executive Officer has resigned and will shortly be taking up a new position. Ok, so it is reasonable to expect that in any loose grouping of sixteen individuals there will be some who “like” or “dislike” their employee more than others do. Whether those opinions are simply personality conflicts, I wouldn’t like to say. What I would say, however, is that employers have responsibilities toward employees that range beyond legislation and “good employer” best practices to a straight out expectation of decent behaviour.

At the end of February, councillors became aware that one of their colleagues had entered into discussions with staff at the council where Paul Wylie will soon be taking up his position as CEO. This action was not only completely inappropriate, but it also has the potential to undermine Mr Wylie when he becomes the Chief Executive Officer to whom these staff members report.

But it gets worse! It appears there is a campaign amongst a small sector of the Palmerston North community who have taken it upon themselves to cause as many problems for Mr Wylie as possible. This smear campaign is aimed at driving Mr Wylie out of his new position. I fail to see how members of the community who have not worked with our CEO, have not relied upon him to carry out their decisions, and who have not taken part in the regular performance appraisals, can assume that they know whether Mr Wylie is a good CEO or not. Or why they think they have any right to interfere with a man’s employment. Emails are being received by the council Mr Wylie is moving to and this is creating a wonderful impression of Palmerston North.

Whether people like Paul Wylie on a personal level or not is completely irrelevant. If you don’t like him, be happy that he is leaving. For those who have worked with him as his employees, or as elected members who have come to value his skills and experience, or even those who just audit the performance of council and its compliance to legislation, Paul Wylie has been a dedicated, competent, and conscientious CEO for this city.

Sadly, his new employer will not see how valued Paul Wylie is by those who know his work. What they are already seeing is the vindictive, petty-mindedness of a sector of Palmerston North society. I doubt Paul or his family will take many happy memories with them when they finally put Palmerston North behind them. They are probably asking themselves why they ever bothered to move to this city of ours.