With some surprise and concern, I see Graeme Purches, a senior executive with Trustpower, has launched a personal attack on Mark Groos, a Trustee of TECT for no apparent reason other than Groos may be considering a Local Body career as a TCC Councillor and of course there is no certainty of that ever happening or him being elected.
From my understanding of his time as a TECT Trustee, Groos has made a significant contribution to the way TECT operates by introducing systems for better presented applications, insisting on proper business cases for large applications and the better utilisation of TECT funds generally.
Mr Purches always seems to have to vent his spleen on something and when he states the TECT Trustee remuneration which is believed to be around $15,000 pa is only $10,000 less than the salary of a TCC Councillor, he is wrong.
The claim is ludicrous as Councillors are employed on a full-time basis and receive a minimum of $70,000 per annum. Incidentally, a TECT Election should not be required to fill any casual vacancy of a Trustee as the Board would select a replacement Trustee, for example the highest polling unsuccessful candidate at the recent TECT Election.
Along with his other inaccuracies, these provide further evidence of Mr Purches lack of credibility on anything to do with facts or figures.
This individual was an integral part of the Museum Steering Committee that has recommended a State of the Art Museum ($zillions) at the prime Cliff Road site – no wonder its recommendations are befuddles and far divorced from 80% of public opinion on a Museum.
J. Wesley, Tauranga.