Who got that job?

By LIANE VOISY

Job title: Chief executive, Waitaki District Council

Mike Ross is returning to live and work in the place where he grew up.

"Having lived as a child in north Otago I guess I've got some understanding of the community which will help me get up to speed reasonably quickly."

Ross is looking forward to "developing the economic development opportunities that clearly exist, working with the Waitaki Development Board on the initiatives that they're pursuing".

And his challenge will be to "broker more consensus" on some of the larger issues facing the area.

Issues such as Project Aqua, a proposed hydro electric scheme with a 60km canal and six power stations along the south side of the lower Waitaki Valley.

Ross says there is no doubt that the scheme will proceed and says managing the way that affects the various communities in the Waitaki District is going to be a big challenge.

He is also looking forward to revitalising the council.

"There's some significant potential to reshape the Waitaki District Council in terms of the team that they've got there," he says.

A graduate in accounting and marketing from Otago University, Ross' 13 years experience as a senior manager in local government should serve him well.

Since March 2000 he has been chief executive of Southland District Council, where he was involved in projects ranging from buying airports to managing tourism at Milford Sound. Before that, he was chief executive at Clutha District Council from 1995, and deputy general manager at Queenstown Lakes.

With a good understanding of local government schemes in both Otago and Southland, Ross says he has "some good connections in terms of the sector generally at a national level".