Above is the response we received today asking what policy it has. The short answer is that there is a staff Code of Conduct, but no policy about commenting on social media — however, one is coming.
There has been a lot of suspicion about whether those defending council decisions and actions (on Facebook particularly) are council staff members or in their immediate families.
Since when has there been a staff code of conduct? It must be quite recent.
There did not seem to be such a document a few years ago when staff were involved in supporting lying accusations against me by Janet Holborow, et al.
For example, I would have requested then CEO Pat Dougherty to enquire into his own miscreance in forwarding to me a bogus so-called “affadivit” (sic) from then Councillor Diane Amundsen; not signed, sworn, affirmed or notarized, but nonetheless a legitimate affidavit according to Mr Dougherty’s interpretation. (My trying to raise this nonsense in council resulted in being trespassed for two years, largely thanks to one termer Murray Bell).
More recently, if I had known of this staff code I would have filed a complaint regarding the ill-mannered, baseless quip I received from then acting CEO Sean Mellon, in regard to how many phone calls the mayor’s office had received as part of an alleged telephone smear campaign against a then senior staff member. Supposedly this ‘campaign’ had greatly distressed her, according to the news media. Mr Mellon did at least answer the main question despite his lack of manners – ONE call – moreover, seemingly from a friend of this woman’s family.
While the frontline, ordinary staff are absolutely wonderful, there seems to be some Machiavellian types among senior staff, who will remain entrenched, rendering voting in Kapiti elections mere farce.