Ideas on how to reduce Council spend
Mount Isa City council has stated 'this council is committed to continuously looking to reduce costs and charges'.
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Well I think I've found another way for the council to save a few hundred thousand and past the savings on back to the rate payers.
If you look at the Mount Isa City's Councils Annual Report for 2017/18 you will notice under Note 31. Transactions with Other Related Parties, SKLT Professional Services has been disclosed by the Chief Executive Officer as a related party entity and provides consultancy to Council.
The Mount Isa City Council's CEO's husband's company, SKLT Professional Service was paid $407,000 for the 2017/18 financial year for consultancy work.
This related party entity has been consulting to MICC for a number of years now and is currently the MICC Project Manager for the Isa Street Bridge Upgrade.
On the 3rd October last year, MICC posted on their Facebook page that they were doing a $6.5M upgrade to the Isa Street Bridge.
A week later, ABC North West did a story with the SKLT Professional Services, Tyr Ibardolaza and he quoted the Isa Street Bridge Upgrade as a $7.5M upgrade, this is an increase in $1,000,000 in a week.
I did point this out to the MICC on their Facebook story, but to no reply.
If you read Sharon Ibardolaza's letter to the editor to the Star on March 14, no reply apparently means 'refused'.
While MICC is asking some residents and businesses to pay thousands of dollars more in rates and water, our own council is paying a consultant $407,000 for one years consultancy.
This Engineer would be the highest paid mechanical engineer in Mount Isa and that's saying something with the mine across the road.
Mechanical and civil don't cross over at all, it's like using an accountant to do civil work.
In fact I'm really surprised there any work for a mechanical engineer at any council.
This could be a great opportunity to save some money, instead of using a consultant for all these years, employ a full time engineer and give the $250,000 odd savings back to the rate payers.
I do understand this city is small enough for family members to end up working at the same company.
Mount Isa depends on the MICC CEO to be absolutely impartial when dealing with complaints against council, councillors and our Mayor.
The MICC Annual Report 17/18 indicates that the CEO's entire family income of over $600,000 is completely dependent on Mount Isa City Council.
$407,000 is a ridiculous amount of money to pay SKLT Professional Services, one person, for a years work.
I really hope there is a sensible explanation for this spend.
Danielle Slade
Mount Isa
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