Controllers put forward by council

OAMARU: Two new faces have been put forward as the Waitaki District Council’s local controllers.

Councillors have agreed to recommend acting heritage, environment and regulatory group manager Roger Cook as the council’s local controller and local recovery manager, to the Otago Civil Defence Emergency Management group.

Outgoing heritage, environment and regulatory group manager Lichelle Guyan was also put forward as a local controller, at an extraordinary council meeting yesterday.

The appointments replace former assets group manager Neil Jorgensen, who left the council this month, and Murray Linwood, who has stepped down from the role.

While Mrs Guyan, who was the council’s recovery manager for the Ohau fire, would leave the council next month, she had agreed to stay on as a controller.

Chief executive Fergus Power said he was grateful for Mrs Guyan’s decision, as having one controller was not enough.

Oamaru ward councillor Colin Wollstein questioned whether the council should train a third controller, in case Mrs Guyan left the district and could not fulfil her duties.

Mr Power said it was a future possibility, but the council could also call on group controllers if required.

While they were volunteer roles, he intended to establish an allowance to pay each controller when they were in the role.