Deputy set for the sack

TOP-POLLING rural councillor Rod McKenzie has vowed to continue to fight for ratepayers from the "back bench" after learning he is almost certain to be dumped from a major role on the new Masterton District Council.
An angry Mr McKenzie claimed today that Masterton Mayor Bob Francis had reneged on a decision to name him as policy and finance committee chairman, offering only the lesser role of heading the Audit Committee.
He said he could accept that he will not retain the deputy mayoralty but is "flabbergasted" over Mr Francis changing his stance on the policy and finance chairmanship.
Mr McKenzie said the mayor had called him into his office on October 18 and had broken the news to him that he was recommending councillor Garry Daniell as his deputy.
The primary reason appeared to be because Mr McKenzie had voted against setting the rates at a meeting held after the end of last financial year.
This had been at a time when, by chance, a council faction including Mr McKenzie had succeeded in stalling the rates decision when councillor Gavin McLachlan ? a supporter of Mr Francis ? went home early to celebrate his wife's birthday.
Mr McKenzie said he was "a wee bit disappointed" but could accept that decision "without malice".
Mr Francis, he said, had then gone on to offer him the policy and finance chair and gave him a couple of days to think it over.
"I telephoned him on October 21 after telling my wife about it and talking it over with four or five others only to have him say he had never offered it to me and was planning to make me audit committee chairman.
"I was absolutely flabbergasted and my knee-jerk reaction was to walk ? to resign from council ? but I'm not going to, I am going to fight for the ratepayers from the back bench."
Mr McKenzie said he was not interested in the audit job as figures are not his forte.
"Everyone has their strengths and while I don't mind being on the audit committee I am not suited to being its chairman."
He said he believes the real reason he is being dumped as deputy mayor and denied a leading role in council is personal.
"The mayor just doesn't like me, but if he expects a deputy to be someone who just agrees with everything he puts up, then I'm not his man."
Mr McKenzie, who stood for mayor against Mr Francis and finished second of the four candidates, said he will not be a "yes man" or a "push over" during the new council term but intends to work harder than ever for ratepayers.
Jobs for councillors will not be officially settled until tomorrow, when the new council meets for the first time, but usually follow the recommendations of the mayor.
Mr Francis has confirmed he intends to recommend Mr Daniell as both his deputy mayor and policy and finance chairman.
He said Mr McKenzie had "obviously misunderstood" what had been said at the October 18 meeting.
"I told him I was wanting Garry as my deputy, offered him the audit committee and told him that early next year I was planning a meeting to look at readjusting the committees.
"We have five new councillors and the readjustment could mean shifting some of the policy and finance role to the audit committee."