After a "tense and extremely difficult" meeting,
the Invercargill City Council has issued its long-serving
chief executive with a final warning for bringing the council
into disrepute, Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt said
yesterday.
Richard King (57), chief executive since July 1986, was
involved in a car crash last month in Invercargill, after
which he recorded a breath-alcohol level of 584mcg.
His council car and a BMW were damaged in the August 28
accident.
Mr Shadbolt said an extraordinary meeting of the council,
which was "tense and extremely difficult", was held on
Tuesday night to discuss Mr King's future.
Mr King had brought the council into disrepute, and his
accident was case of serious misconduct.
He had been issued with a first and final written warning,
the highest penalty short of dismissal available to council,
Mr Shadbolt said.
He said ratepayers would not be paying a cent of
any costs associated with the accident.
Mr King, who earns more than $200,000 a year, was to be
responsible for all costs, which amounted to "tens of
thousands of dollars".
After the meeting, which took several hours and was "fairly
heated", Mr King was brought in to hear council's decision.
"I think he was resigned to whatever punishment was put in
front of him," Mr Shadbolt said
It had been a difficult time for Mr King, who was prepared to
"throw himself on the mercy of council".
Mr Shadbolt declined to comment on what Mr King had been
doing before the crash.
Mr King is scheduled to appear in the Invercargill District
Court on September 25.
hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz
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