Masterton sewage plant overseer quits

LEAVING: Ian Steer (right) on site with Hopper Construction project engineer Luke Kirkpatrick during the building of the new sewage treatment plant at Homebush.PHOTO/FILE

A man who has been at the forefront of the Homebush sewage treatment plant construction has resigned from his job at Masterton District Council and left last Friday.

Ian Steer was the council's special projects manager and had been employed by the council for about nine years.

His major task during that time has been overseeing the construction of the multi-million-dollar sewage treatment plant which at last count had cost $46.4 million and was expected to rise by another $2 million.

Originally, planned expenditure for the plant had been $23 million but a tender let to Hopper Construction was for $32 million.

Further costs totalling $14 million were incurred between 1999 and 2010 for buying land, plant upgrades including extra bunds in Pond 3 and investigation, design and resource consent costs.

Questions put yesterday to council senior staff over Mr Steer's departure drew this response from MDC spokesman Sam Rossiter-Stead:

"Ian has chosen to resign his employment. It's too early to talk about his replacement, but the construction part of the project is virtually complete and the requirements for operations after construction will be different." The resignation of Mr Steer comes only months after the departure of two other senior officers. Community Services manager Jan Gerritsen retired and the role of Parks and Facilities manager was disestablished, resulting in Grant Hathaway losing his job.

Long-serving rates and front counter officer Neil McEwen also retired.