Keep the non-surprises coming, CEO Sue Bidrose – we know there are many more to hand, your work is not yet done. Thanks to Paul Orders for chopping this.
Hmmm, the sacked former 
CFO Athol Stephens’ name pops up again. Who are the other ‘council managers’ that raided the pot to feather their staff? And how many managers is the city council still lumbered with? Ms Bidrose, you need LESS of them and no soft wicket for those that need to remain. STOP all make-work schemes.
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### ODT Online Mon, 6 Jan 2014
Staff bonuses almost history, council says
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council has moved to ”severely curtail” the payment of cash bonuses to staff, amid concerns payments and gifts worth more than $2 million had been distributed unfairly, it has been confirmed. Council chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose told the Otago Daily Times the council had been moving away from the system of cash and non-cash bonuses for more than a year.
Read more
Lingering issue: “…staff deemed to be “consistent, long-term, high-level performers” could earn pay increases to 102.5% or 105% of the normal remuneration for their roles”.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
*Image: Athol Stephens re-imaged by Whatifdunedin
What if? Dunedin... 
What’s the expected standard, if “…staff deemed to be “consistent, long-term, high-level performers” could earn pay increases to 102.5% or 105% of the normal remuneration for their roles”?
Frequent absences, low-to-mediocre performance, good on a good day, flaky and mistake-prone on a bad day? Easily distracted, infrequently completes tasks before the last minute, misses ‘deadlines”? Errors in judgement result in waste from e.g. over-ordering, purchasing plant or materials unsuitable for purpose, losing track of council-owned portable tools?
Or designates an illegal road (SH88 realignment).
Or takes the council fleet car home at night and weekends, when not required for 24/7 call-out. (Did Paul Orders tidy this up?)
“Bonuses,payments and gifts worth $2 million” That equates to a 2% rate increase. There you go Dave cut out the bonuses, payments and gifts and you reduce the rate bill by 2% that could go towards a new cycleway to Middle March. Save you taking the train for the next council piss up.
But wait, Whippet. Money-go-round.
Ann Barsby and her motley crew want at least $2 million from DCC (and other sources?) for restoration of the council-owned Gasworks Museum. Joke!!! (I say that as an independent heritage advocate)
So many unscrupulous do-gooders working on – prior to Draft Annual Plan – Mayor Cull, the unscrupulous Cr Benson-Pope, Mr Clark, and CE Bidrose.
WHERE IS BARSBY’S PRIVATE FUNDRAISING AT ?
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### ODT Online Mon, 6 Jan 2014
Leaky gasworks needs $2m more
By John Gibb
At least $2 million will be needed to safeguard the future of weak or leaking buildings at the Dunedin Gasworks Museum, and more funds are being sought from the Dunedin City Council, heritage advocates say.
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### ODT Online Tue, 8 Jul 2014
Full steam ahead with gasworks’ new boiler
By John Gibb
The long wait is almost over at the Dunedin Gasworks Museum and a replacement boiler is about to get the machinery moving again after more than a year without steam. […] The new boiler and related costs are expected to amount to about $40,000, which is covered by a loan from the Dunedin City Council, to be repaid by the Dunedin Gasworks Museum Trust through fundraising and other sources, museum organisers said.
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### ODT Online Wed, 8 Jan 2014
Editorial: Welcome bonus for ratepayers
After time already working within council walls, Dr Bidrose appears to understand the money being used for bonuses, to a select group of staff, comes from ratepayers, many of whom have struggled during the financial crisis.
Read more
What the council needs to have is a carrot and stick mentality on bonuses.
I would support bonuses for performance beyond the call of duty if there was a commensurate reduction for a failure in performance.
Given the recent record of the council I can see such a give and take philosophy being extremely profitable for ratepayers.
$650 million dollars of debt
The stadium
The refurbishing of the city council building
SH88
Etc etc.
Imagine the clawback from these disasters and in the future:
The cycleways (which are rarely used)
The failure to attract a $100 million dollar hotel spend
The failure to attract gas support infrastructure.
Well the mind boggles!
The council may in fact have to provide a rates credit each year.
I would definitely vote for a council with such a policy!
I agree with most of your points, John, but as for “The failure to attract a $100 million dollar hotel spend” – if it was going to be THAT apartment-hotel I call it a success, resisting the siren call of “FREE money!!! plus a toaster oven” and sticking to the District Plan.