Blasting not to blame for mould: ICC
Invercargill City Council chief executive Clare Hadley does not believe a councillor is correct in saying that waster-blasting work is the key reason behind Rugby Park’s problems.
At a full council meeting on Tuesday, councillor Peter Kett pointed the finger at council staff as to why toxic mould had formed at the Invercargill sports venue.
Rugby Southland’s offices, as well as the Rugby Southland Supporters Club clubrooms, were closed to the public last year because of toxic mould.
In November it was also revealed that of the 3400 grandstand seats at Rugby Park, 1567 were now offlimits because of safety concerns.
Kett said that at some point between the council taking over ownership in
2015 and August 2016, council staff had cleaned the seating area of the grandstand using ‘‘high-powered water blasters’’.
This removed the sealant from the bleachers, and in turn created leaks which led to the toxic mould, Kett said.
Kett was a councillor in 2015 when discussions took place regarding the Invercargill City Council taking ownership of Rugby Park.
At the time he said he advised then council chief executive Richard King of maintenance issues at Rugby Park.
Kett believed those problems had been fixed and they were not behind the current toxic mould issue.
‘‘[After the water-blasting] when there was any rain come in with a northerly breeze, it would go in and leak into the interior of the offices of Rugby Southland and the Supporters Club rooms.
‘‘[Staff] said the problem would be fixed by putting in new sealant. That was done, but that was all that was done.’’
Kett said council staff ignored the internal damage and that was how the toxic mould developed.
‘‘The fault was caused by council staff – they know it. Everyone has been tight-lipped about it.’’
Hadley, who was not in the chief executive’s role when the council took over Rugby Park, acknowledged the water-blasting work would not have helped the situation at Rugby Park.
However, Hadley said reports from as far back as 2012 pointed to the problems at Rugby Park. These pre-dated the council taking over Rugby Park and also pre-dated council staff initiating the waterblasting work.
When asked if she was disappointed that Kett had criticised council staff in a public forum, Hadley acknowledged Kett was passionate about Rugby Park and that had shone through. However, in general terms, Hadley said she felt councillors would get more from staff if trust was built and a partnership with councillors was formed.
‘‘You get more from a cat by stroking it than kicking it,’’ she said.
She added that the process for councillors who might want to raise a staffing concern was to go through the chief executive.
Hadley herself came under fire publicly from councillor Nobby Clark when Clark criticised Hadley, saying that he had requested a report on making Rugby Park fully operational but was denied.