A Big Week

[Rem]

No one missed me (sigh) but I've been virtually MIA for two weeks. Our Council has just come through a very big week and a half. I wish to share. I've suffered for my art - now it's your turn.

New Computer System
On 8 March we shut down our old system to transactions so as to stabilise the data we were converting to our new system. We turned the new system on on 15 March. It went as well as the geeks expected, which means we had lots of problems. Stress levels have been very high and are just now subsiding.

New Local Environmental Plan (LEP)
Our main planning instruments in NSW are called LEP's and our new City Wide plan was gazetted on Friday 19 March. Gazettal means it is in effect. The State Govt. is responsible for gazettal and it has taken them 18 months to finalise their checks and publish the plan - right in the middle of our computer upgrade. We have a lot of LIS work to do as a result but it was a fairly emotional culmination of a 5 year project to produce a City Strategy and planning instrument.

Local Elections
Elections are scheduled for next Saturday, 27 March. Pre-poll commenced on 15 March and the last meeting of the old Council was held last night. We had a very stable Council but 7 of our 13 Councillors are retiring with 4 of them having more than 20 years service. Two more face difficult reelections and therefore we will have at least 7 and up to 9 new Councillors. Today one of the Mayoral candidates resigned from his party due to an impending sex scandal. It looks like fun.

Standards Certification
Yesterday we were presented with our certification for compliance with AS/NZS ISO 9001:2000 (Quality Management Systems), AS/NZS 4810:2001 (OHS Management Systems) and AS/NZS ISO 14001:1996 (Environmental Management Systems). We are the first Council in Australia to achieve certification to all three standards. This is the culmination of three years work to develop and implement an Integrated Management System for the organisation. It has been the catalyst for a major change management program.

Things should start to return to normal this week, though the election will be frenetic for a few days, and so I can rejoin the slackers.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Congratulations on the adoption of your new city plan.

Congratulations on surviving the last several weeks. There's the old adage again, when it rains it pours.

Glad to see you back!

 

[Rumpy Tunanator]

I was just waiting to see REM, if you were on some episode of the Crocidile Hunter. Glad to hear that everything will be getting back to normal, once those elections are over.

 

[Michele Zone]

No one missed me (sigh) but I've been virtually MIA for two weeks.

Not True! You are the only one consistently here when I am up in the middle of the night and one of the funnier people without being a whack job. (I know: I am a whack job extraordinaire. So that is not criticism of other whack jobs.)

Actually, I have been pretty busy myself. I have wondered where you are but ... I don't butt into people's business. (at least, not uninvited -- kind of like a demon: you have to invite me in or you are pretty safe from my shenanigans. 8-! )

Glad you are back. Have a beer for me (you know I can't drink the stuff) to celebrate all your accomplishments. :b:

 

[biscuit]

That does sound like quite a week on the job. In fact you seem a little too busy to actually be a government employee.

I'm sure your employer will recognize your hard work by giving you a big fat bonus.
"No" you say. You're under paid and under-appreciated?
Then I quess you really do work for the goverment. :-D

 

[JNL]

No one missed me (sigh) but I've been virtually MIA for two weeks. .

Of course we missed you! Well I did anyway Glad to hear things are returning to normal and that you will be rejoining the slackers. :b:

 

[Michele Zone]

Of course we missed you! Well I did anyway Glad to hear things are returning to normal and that you will be rejoining the slackers. :b:

Rem is such a lady's man. Quick, someone tell his wife. B-)