Tower discord to be thrashed out

The troubled Metropolis tower in central Auckland. Photo / Dean Purcell

Residents of the country's tallest apartment tower are due to meet at the end of this week to discuss issues which have dogged their property and to vote in new representatives.

A Metropolis extraordinary general meeting was due to be held last week but has been re-scheduled for Friday at 4pm when residents will thrash out many contentious issues.

Operation and management of the 40-level block, cleaning, security, a big restructuring programme to redress costs, how the place is run, and appointment of new staff will be discussed. Residents got an agenda telling how seven unit owners could be elected to the new body corporate and four new committee members are needed.

Owners will hear of big projected cost savings from the new programme, the benefits of restructuring, and a proposal from the existing committee headed by Tony Howard to appoint a general manager and a facilities manager. A new layout is also proposed for the front office area behind the reception counter.

Target dates for the changes will be outlined on Friday and an update given on security for the shops in the tower's lower level.

Some residents are unhappy about the tower's management, saying the four body corporate vacancies were just one indication of deep unhappiness. They are also taking issue with projections of big cost savings from leak repairs at the tower.

They also complained how members of the body corporate committee were contracting out work not approved or wanted by residents.

But Howard expressed optimism about the plans, which he said had been formulated after a tremendous amount of work.