A new operations manager has been appointed for the West Coast Regional Council’s vector control services (VCS) business unit.
Regional council chief executive Heather Mabin said VCS’ newly appointed operations manager, Shanti Morgan, had come from Auckland to take up the role, starting a week ago.
The seconded Doc, manager Darryl Haworth, was staying on at this point to mentor the new manager in the role.
Ms Mabin said having the VCS operations manager position vacant had not stopped the normal day-to-day operation, including previously contracted pest control work for Doc.
"It never stopped," she said.
This included the recently completed aerial operation west of Arthur’s Pass for Doc. VCS was not due to start another operation of that type until May next year.
Another contract for Doc centred on Abbey Rocks in South Westland had not yet proceeded due to bad weather over winter.
Ms Mabin said VCS was no different from any other council department.
Its team comprised the the operations manager, business support staff and an aerial project manager, with foremen overseeing crews for day-to-day pest control operations.
Depending on the amount of work on the books, VCS used other contractors to do work it did not have the staff to do.
Ms Mabin said VCS was not an autonomous business unit and she had raised the VCS operations manager role to the council’s senior management team.
Revenue generated by VCS has previously been used by the council to subsidise operating costs in order to keep rate costs down.
By Brendon McMahon
