Avonlea faces tough times ahead - manager
Here’s a look at what made the headlines this week in Waikato community newspapers.
Pay issues and insufficient funding for caregivers and diversional therapists is posing a significant risk for Avonlea Rest Home and Hospital, says manager Anna Looby.
Looby was in discussion with the Waikato District Health Board on Monday to find ways to cut costs.
From July 1 this year workers in aged residential care received a pay increase from around $16 an hour to between $19 and $23.50.
The $2 billion settlement will be funded over five years through an increase of $1.9 billion from the Ministry of Health’s budget and
$192 billion from ACC with employers expected to contribute the remaining $245m.
Under the pay equity settlement Looby said they will be struggling to come up with $40,000.
‘‘It’s a big concern for us. It’s a business risk because when you take into account we’ve got registered and enrolled nurses we also need to increase them.’’
Some of the staff went up 43.8 per cent in wages which also includes finding extra money to pay staff on contract for annual leave.
Looby said they have consulted with staff and looked at ways to cut costs.
‘‘The only real way is to cut staff which we don’t want to have to do.
‘‘I’ve told staff I would like to hit them less in the pockets.’’
This is a last resort so hours are being trimmed back to try and avoid losing staff.
It is hoped the new village being built on site will help bring in money to mitigate the risk.
A resource consent has been issued and engineers are currently testing the soil before further work can be done which is scheduled for
2018.
Looby said she knows of other rest homes where the pay scale has created tension with staff.
Fortunately there have been no issues as she works with staff trying to find ways to save money.
‘‘It’s going to be a struggle. With the change in government we are hoping they will look into it with a bit more depth.
‘‘We never for a second think the staff don’t deserve it because they work hard for their money but we have to survive as a business in the community.’’
Ruapehu Press
Decaying, decrepit eyesore
The old Kopu Bridge has fallen into disrepair and must be deconstructed, according to Coromandel MP Scott Simpson.
However, the Historic Kopu Bridge Society says the bridge is a Heritage 1 structure that’s important and should be kept intact for public use.
The new Kopu bridge was opened six years ago on December 10, easing traffic congestion to and from the region.
Simpson said six years with no maintenance meant the bridge had become an eyesore and derelict.
‘‘I think it should be dismantled and taken down. It’s served us well, but now it’s just a decaying, decrepit eyesore and I think it’s time for it to go,’’ he said.
Simpson was concerned the old bridge would become a liability for ratepayers.
The old bridge was an issue for both Hauraki and ThamesCoromandel councils, because the boundary between the two districts fell halfway across the bridge, he said.
‘‘I don’t think ratepayers from either district would want to be saddled with the continuing upkeep of the bridge, particularly when that’s likely to be quite expensive.’’
Simpson would like to see the historic central span of the bridge restored and placed on part of the Hauraki Rail Trail.
Historic Kopu Bridge Society Gary Blake said the new bridge restricted navigation to boats 8m in height, whereas the old bridge, once opened, allowed for boats of any height.
The society, which wants ownership of the bridge, had been in negotiations with the New Zealand Transport Agency [NZTA] for the past six years, he said.
‘‘Our hands are tied. They’ve farmed it around NZTA to quite a few people,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s the way the bureaucracy operate – it’s quite appalling. I think probably they expect our group to drop out.’’
The society had formed a trust to enable it to take ownership of the bridge if granted by NZTA, and was currently waiting for another meeting with the agency.
The group hoped to restore the bridge and open it to walkers, cyclists, fishermen and for special events.
Waikato Transport System Manager Karen Boyt said the agency continued to work with the Historic Kopu Bridge Trust.
The bridge remained in structurally sound condition, but needs maintenance to bring it up to a standard to enable public use, she said.
‘‘I think it should be dismantled and taken down. It’s served us well, but now it’s just a decaying, decrepit eyesore and I think it’s time for it to go.’’ Coromandel MP Scott Simpson
Hauraki Herald
Snow man moving on
Thirty-six years ago Steve McGill found himself doing a day’s work on Mt Ruapehu which turned into a three decade career.
McGill first stepped foot on Mt Ruapehu back in the 1970s when a friend rang him one day saying a job was going as a ‘‘lifty’’ if he was keen.
‘‘I thought I’d give it a whirl. I did the winter season of 1979 and then another one again in the 1980s,’’ he said.
In the winter months on the mountain, McGill operated the lifts and was a maintenance worker. In the summer months, he just did maintenance work.
Over the years Steve worked his way up to general manager at Whakapapa and credits his career success to strong leadership and inspiration from former Swiss boss Lorenz Reiser and former Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) chief executive Dave Mazey.
Times had changed dramatically over his 36-year career up the mountain when RAL just ran and maintained the lifts. There were only a handful of workers, and the summer was spent grooming the tracks and trails.
‘‘We shovelled by hand, dug foundations by hand. Now we use diggers.
‘‘There’s just been a huge change in the way things were done.
‘‘There’s been a lot of blood sweat and tears poured into the mountain over the years and I’ve loved every minute of it.’’
One of the biggest positive changes Steve had seen on the mountain was the snowmaking technology.
‘‘Some years we couldn’t even open the ski fields because there wasn’t any snow.
‘‘Now with the snowmakers we can guarantee the snow will come,’’ he said.
What McGill has loved most about is job was meeting new people.
‘‘I’ve loved working on the mountain – the people I work with are fantastic and a huge part of why I love coming to work.
‘‘We call ourselves the mountain whanau and it’s true’’.
Another bonus for McGill was being able to bring his children up in a beautiful place.
‘‘My kids were born and bred on the mountain. The family life up here was brilliant.’’
McGill has mixed emotions about his departure in midDecember but he is looking forward to finally being able to spend some more time outdoors.
‘‘Things have changed over the years and I need to change with it. I need to get out and see what else is on there for me before it’s too late,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m looking forward to spending my days outside, doing odd jobs here and there after being stuck inside for the past few years.’’