Salsagate? Wellington Mayor offers ratepayer funded ballroom dancing/Mandarin classes
The Mayor’s response doesn’t add up – She talked in her email about how spending needs to be reduced and then suggests possible uses for the training budget that is available.
“We do need to reduce our expenditure but not to zero. Instead of waiting for conferences to be put up at SPC and then trying to decide who should go, what clashes etc, there are other ways – on-line webinars, local tertiary institutions e.g. Otago’s Sustainable Cities or Victoria’s Policy Institute – or LGNZ’s courses.
Or we can take new lessons in te reo, Mandarin or ballroom dancing – all exercise neural pathways…”
The clear inference is that Council will fund such lessons.
I agree with Abe that this is the most straightforward interpretation of the original “ballroom dancing” email. That said, the Mayor has spoken and it’s only fair to take her at her word.
Hi Phil,
Just to say there is no intention of funding te reo or ballroom dancing lessons for elected members.My points were that at the start of the New Year we should think abut limbering up our brains so we can be innovative and effective. I’ve noticed some councillors find they struggle to get time to read all the paper thoroughly so speed-reading or RMA courses would be highly appropriate for some members.
At the moment we either get a list of conferences at committee meeting or are offered the LGNZ courses. I want our elected members to consider free seminars locally, on-line training etc. All of us could improve our effectiveness in some way I’m sure.
The next paragraphs highlighted some research that showed learning new skills (motor or language or intellectual) kept neural pathways active. I did not intend these activities should be eligible for any rates funding for councillor participation – they are up to elected members to fund – or enjoy the many free courses e.g.. salsa in Summer City. I can see how the two paragraphs could be read together but have now made it more clear to my Council.
I am aware of which councillors may have an interest in disruption rather than creativity now they are back from holiday but I don’t intend to worry about who spread this around rather than looking at what skills they might be lacking.
Regards – and I look forward to ensuring you DO know what I look like in 2011!
Mayor Celia Wade-Brown,
_______________________________From: Celia Wade-Brown <celia.wade-brown@wcc.govt.nz>
Date: 6 January 2011 10:38:07 PM NZDT
To: <councillors@wcc.govt.nz>
Cc:
Subject: Keeping onto it! Thoughts for 2011.
Dear colleagues,I’d like to discuss training, conferences and personal development when we’re back. I hope some courses on chairing, speed-reading, engagement and participatory democracy, new media or the RMA will appeal. We do need to reduce our expenditure but not to zero. Instead of waiting for conferences to be put up at SPC and then trying to decide who should go, what clashes etc, there are other ways – on-line webinars, local tertiary institutions e.g. Otago’s Sustainable Cities or Victoria’s Policy Institute – or LGNZ’s courses.
Or we can take new lessons in te reo, Mandarin or ballroom dancing – all exercise neural pathways and keep us mentally fit. http://www.newsweek.com/2011/01/03/can-you-build-a-better-brain.html
That might explain why skills we’re already good at don’t make us much smarter: we don’t pay much attention to them. In contrast, taking up a new, cognitively demanding activityballroom dancing, a foreign languageis more likely to boost processing speed, strengthen synapses, and expand or create functional networks.For those who consider that mental and physical fitness might be unrelated, have a look at this link… http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100826141327.htm
A study published this year in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience provided evidence that aerobic fitness can keep aging brains healthy. “Even modest amounts of walking, 40 minutes three times a week, can engender substantial improvements in memory, decision making, and other cognitive processes,” said the study’s lead author, University of Illinois psychology professor Art Kramer.
and if you didn’t think it was relevant to your role … “Those with more connectivity … also tend to be better at planning, prioritizing, strategizing and multi-tasking. “- that’s what we have to do – and preferably enjoy doing it!
and for Leonie in particular - Nicotine, they found, has “significant positive effects” on fine motor skills, the accuracy of short-term memory, some forms of attention, and working memory, among other basic cognitive skills. The improvements “likely represent true performance enhancement” and “beneficial cognitive effects.” The reason is that nicotine binds to the brain receptors for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that are central players in cortical circuits. (Caveat: smoking also increases your risk of dementia, so while cigarettes may boost your memory and attention now, you could pay for it later. ) but I’m not taking it up again – shortness of breath, coughing, lung or throat cancer and most of all, the smell…
Meanwhile, I look forward to us finding efficiencies and shared ways of working so we don’t have to increase prices at Toi Poneke – nor drastically cut library hours ( some may be ok if there really is low use – well said, Stephanie). However we can’t say no to all savings , efficiencies and accept 8% rates!
Warm regards
Celia
Celia Wade-Brown
Mayor of Wellington
Good grief. I dont think I will be the only Wellingtonian now hoping she is a one term wonder.
The Mayor’s response doesn’t add up – She talked in her email about how spending needs to be reduced and then suggests possible uses for the training budget that is available.
“We do need to reduce our expenditure but not to zero. Instead of waiting for conferences to be put up at SPC and then trying to decide who should go, what clashes etc, there are other ways – on-line webinars, local tertiary institutions e.g. Otago’s Sustainable Cities or Victoria’s Policy Institute – or LGNZ’s courses.
Or we can take new lessons in te reo, Mandarin or ballroom dancing – all exercise neural pathways…”
The clear inference is that Council will fund such lessons.
Abe, so the paragraphs ran together the wrong way. It was just one of those interoffice memo type things (that normal people delete instantly).
There was obviously no intention of these stupid recreations being funded by the rate-payer – it was basically just a list of suggestions of activities.
I understand you must be quite young Abe, or at least have very little work/life experience. So I can forgive you not understanding these things. She has denied any intent to fund these – yet you love your fantasy about how she plans to waste money – and still stick to some conspiracy theory despite it being rebuffed!
KP wasted waaaayyy more money.
And to the owner of the blog – HOW IS THIS AN EXCLUSIVE?! You’re as bad as TV1/TV3!
Um, it’s an exclusive because I was first to run it. And I got an email reply from the Mayor, unlike anyone else. My question is to you: how is it not an exclusive? A second question: why do you like making anonymous comments abusing people? Seriously, I am interested. I have no idea what motivates people to do this and I would like to know.
Actually you’re technically correct, even if unnecessarily rude. It started as a scoop rather than a exclusive. However, once the Mayor responded to me, it became an exclusive since I was the only person to engage with her on the subject. If that was your point, you are right. I shouldn’t have used the word “exclusive” to start with. I ask the cybergods for forgiveness.
Thanks for schooling me in how workplaces operate. You’ve obviously had lots of important work experience and you clearly undertaken significant onanism training.
But back to the Mayor, she might well now claim that Council wouldn’t fund it the training she suggested for discussion at SPC – but at the very least she has exposed her actual loony Green tendencies.
I don’t want a Mayor that makes me cringe every time she rocks up with her bike helmet on to meet international visitors or starts encouraging Councillors to take up Ballroom Dancing or any other fad she has come across during her annual holiday google. The mainstream parties need to step up and start looking for a decent candidate now to replace our version of Dick Hubbard.
“My points were that at the start of the New Year we should think abut limbering up our brains so we can be innovative and effective.”
Wouldn’t the best way to limber up your brain be to do some work?
” I’ve noticed some councillors find they struggle to get time to read all the paper thoroughly so speed-reading or RMA courses would be highly appropriate for some members.”
If their reading is not adequate for the job, why are they councillors?