Long service earns recognition

MANAWATU District Council enjoyed a double reason to celebrate when Executive Officer, Elizabeth Signal, and District Librarian, Simon Johnson, were recognised at the 2011 Feilding Excellence in Business Awards.

The pair were joint winners of the “Best Long Serving Employee” Award in recognition of their 30-year service to local government after joining the-then Feilding Borough Council in June, 1981.

Both Ms Signal and Mr Johnson were “honoured” and “privileged” at receiving the award and appreciative of council putting forward their nominations for consideration.

Ms Signal said she loved what she did, who she worked for and with, and working in a community which had huge pride and confidence.

“Technology has changed the way we work, but it still doesn’t take away the importance and the values of delivering great customer service, which is a big part of my job.”

She had enjoyed working with five mayors and two chief executives during the past three decades and likened the arrival of each mayor as setting out on a “new job”.

“The mayor’s position doesn’t have a job description, so it is very much about the personality they bring to the role; and a big part for me is to get to know and understand how they work. It has been a privilege to work alongside some special community leaders with whom I have the greatest respect.”

Ms Signal said the amalgamation of local bodies in 1989, which led to the formation of the Manawatu District Council, had proved one of the most challenging issues in the last 30 years.

“The bringing together and merging of five former councils’ staff into one new entity and team proved challenging, but that seems a long time ago now.”

Mr Johnson said the award was as much a recognition for library staff as it was for him.

“The services people see every day, and for which they always rate very highly, are those given by the staff on the front desk.”

He said the expansion of IT technology had been the most significant change in libraries since 1981.

“Libraries, now, couldn’t function without IT. The management of our collections, the borrowing or lending and finding information is all governed around software packages and on-line services. The systems we used in 1981 were basically of a 19th century standard and invented when public libraries became popular.”

Mr Johnson said in terms of size and usage (nearly 400,000 items issued annually), Feilding was up with peer libraries and one of the best district facilities of its type in New Zealand.

“That reflects on the quality of the building and the stock, which in turn, reflects on council’s traditional support giving the library a good profile,” he said.

Chief Executive, Lorraine Vincent, said Ms Signal and Mr Johnson had provided great service over the years and their recognition was another positive reminder of the council’s human face and the calibre of staff serving the community.