Property boss quits
Follows review of DCC’s portfolio
THE man in charge of the Dunedin City Council’s multimilliondollar property portfolio has quit following a review by independent auditor Deloitte.
Council spokesman Graham McKerracher yesterday confirmed city property manager Kevin Taylor resigned last week.
Mr McKerracher, responding to Otago Daily Times questions by email, declined to say what Deloitte’s review had found, insisting the final report was ‘‘still being considered’’.
The development came three months after the ODT reported the department responsible for property worth hundreds of millions of dollars was being reviewed.
Mr Taylor had been moved into a ‘‘priority projects’’ role while the review continued, and water and waste group manager Laura McElhone had assumed responsibility for daytoday city property and building mainten ance duties. She did not respond to a request for comment yesterday. Mr McKerracher said she would continue in the role ‘‘in the interim’’.
The role was expected to change in future, with a ‘‘specific focus’’ on community and civic properties, he said.
‘‘Kevin’s experience and interest is in a commercial role and he has decided to pursue an opportunity in that sector,’’ Mr McKerracher said.
Mr Taylor’s departure was the latest upheaval for the city property department, following the departure of former city property manager Robert Clark in 2014, and his assistant manager, Rhonda Abercrombie, the following year.
chris.morris@odt.co.nz