Pie gobbling bully boy Michael Williams would like to think he is the unofficial Mayor of Howick, but his bully boy tactics at trying to get his mate appointed to the role of deputy chair on the local board just smacks of kindergarten level politics.
Bombastic as ever, Michael Williams is refusing to buckle to public pressure and using bizarre excuses in his quest to have a deputy who doesn’t disagree with his every edict.
The Howick and Pakuranga Times is covering this debacle blow by blow.
ADELE White is standing firm in the face of efforts to sack her from the Howick Local Board deputy-chair position.
Board chairman Michael Williams has requested an extraordinary meeting of the board for next Monday, when elected members will be asked to vote to retain or depose her.
Ms White told the Times last month she was shocked when Mr Williams asked her to resign as deputy-chair, as he has another member in mind for the job.
She refused, so he’s called the special meeting in the attempt to remove her and elect a new deputy.
“My position has not changed,” says Ms White. “I’m still extremely shocked at this turn of events and refuse to be treated this way for exercising my democratic rights.
Michael Williams reasoning an explanations do not hold water. Lucy Schwaner calls him out:
“We live in a democracy, one where elected officials are expected to debate matters and contest each other’s ideas.
“Michael might struggle with Adele being a strong woman, who is capable of expressing herself. But that’s no reason to bully her out of the deputy-chair position.
“We were never elected to the Howick Local Board for the purpose of following Michael Williams at all times. A chairperson should welcome debate and contestability of ideas, not attempt to punish those that disagree.”
Michael Williams claims that Adele White can’t do her job because she is also a police officer…a bizarre claim since he too holds down a full time job:
Mr Williams writes because of Ms White’s limited availability in business hours – she’s a senior police constable and Counties Manukau East Police’s youth education officer, and a celebrant, a system evolved early on of sharing civic duties among board members.
He now wants the deputy to be available to meet with him and council staff during business hours and provide key support in the events, Maori affairs and ethnic affairs portfolios.
He also wants to expand the deputy role, including providing him (chairman) with advice on critical issues and an overview of projects, helping to make things happen and maintain good board communication and strategic relationship management and sharing in civic duties.
Ms Schwaner says Mr Williams’ attitude to members maintaining other employment is hypocritical, while he’s employed by a large firm.
“If Michael is genuinely concerned about the workload he’s carrying, I suggest he might want to look first at his own situation,” she says.
“While he chooses to target Adele for her long-standing role as a community constable, he has secondary employment in a senior private sector role.
There is plenty more to come on this. I think I will trundle along on Monday night to enjoy the bun fight.
Michael Williams though seems to be in need os some one to stand against him and hold him to account on a public platform, someone he can’t bully and push around. I might just do that this year.
