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NRK has had access to the resignation letters. City chiefs arrive there with ramblings critical of Councilor Lars-Arne Oldernes and his leadership style.
Even the Elders reject the accusations. On the contrary, he claims that the problems are due to internal complaints against one of those who are now leaving.
And it is not the first time with noise and discomfort in the Sokndal city hall.
A gruesome conflict two years ago ended with sick leave and layoffs. Two municipal chiefs resigned and Councilor Helge Madland had to resign.
Thus, the southernmost municipality of Rogaland, with just over 3,000 inhabitants, has lost five municipal chiefs and one councilor in two years.
Both times, the problems had to do with the work environment. But those now in conflict were not part of the previous conflict.
COME IN 2019: Lars-Arne Oldernes came to work in Sokndal from the position of budget manager in the municipality of Porsgrunn. He was previously a councilor in Båtsfjord, Bø in Telemark and in Våler.
Photo: Private
Complaints about leadership style
Oldernes took office as councilor in May last year. The problems in the management team must have developed during the first half of this year.
It was the Agder / Dalane Tidende newspaper that first mentioned the layoffs. The three, who have already left their offices at the Hauge Municipal Center in Dalane, are the municipal manager for finance and analytics, Siri Edland, the municipal manager for technology and environment, Margit Åreskjold and the municipal manager for personnel and development, Aud Marit Bjørnø.
In the dismissals, the three arrive with powerful shots at the councilor.
In an additional letter to the dismissal, Åreskjold writes:
HAS RESIGNED: Margit Åreskjold resigned from her position as municipal director of technology and environment in Sokndal on June 26 this year.
Photo: private
«Discussion of the municipal chiefs and the councilor’s management group externally and internally. Lack of involvement of the management team in important matters, including organizational changes, hiring and other municipal matters. Disorderly monitoring of personnel and processes in accordance with the Work Environment Law and / or the main agreement.»
Bjørnø is no less harsh:
«The municipal chiefs of the municipality have experienced that those posted in the local press are incompetent. We have received opposition and backbiting within the administration, and an attempt has been made to create an impression that we are disloyal. “
Edland also writes that Oldernes’ leadership style is one of the reasons he resigns:
“At the same time, the leadership group of which I am a part has been criticized and portrayed as incompetent by the councilor, both in the case presentations, the Agder newspaper and orally internally in the organization, which seems to me unreasonable and attests an unconstructive leadership style from the councilor. “
Blame the HR manager
Oldernes, for his part, says the whole dispute is about issues related to the resigned HR manager, Aud Marit Bjørnø. And that the other two municipal chiefs supported her.
– They have been as good as me contributing to a worse climate. There we must each take our part. After I started taking care of the case, trying to get her to change, there was a bad mood, Oldernes says.
He points out that internally there were complaints about the HR manager’s behavior.
Oldernes has given NRK access to a report of concern about the human resources manager, dated June 9. The letter is signed by five union delegates from various unions in the municipality. NRK has been in contact with four of them. Nobody wants to comment on it.
Oldernes himself takes a partial self-criticism.
– Could you have done something different?
– Yes, it probably could. But I don’t want to say what. I would have liked to stay with the CFO. It is a loss for the municipality.
Bjørnø does not wish to comment on Oldernes’ allegations. He signed a severance agreement with the municipality on August 31, where he will be paid a salary until December 1, as well as severance pay corresponding to two monthly salaries.
Åreskjold writes in an SMS to NRK that he is not aware that they have acted together and asks the councilor to present documentation.
Edland will not comment on the councilor’s allegations either, but writes in an SMS that what happened is sad, both for the municipality and for individuals.
Concerned security director
The chief security representative in Sokndal Municipality, Anny S. Bilstad, is unaware of the report of concern about Bjørnø. She thinks it’s weird.
– I should have informed myself, and I must say that I feel ignored.
Bilstad believes that the dispute in the management group has spread downward and created a poorer work environment in the municipality.
– People feel insecure. I do not know what is happening. It is very sad. Everyone needs to put the load together to create a good work environment.
Already this summer, she and the Labor Climate Commission requested that the municipality’s management team launch a labor climate survey, under the auspices of an external actor.
The councilor so far has not. Instead, work is underway to start an employee survey, according to Dalane Tidende.
FOLLOWS: Sokndal Mayor Jonas Andersen Sayed is closely following developments, but will not interfere in personnel matters.
Photo: Ole Andreas Bø
The mayor asks for an explanation
Sokndal Mayor Jonas Andersen Sayed (KrF) says the municipality’s political leadership has obtained assistance from KS Advokatene during the case. This is the legal department of the municipal sector organization, KS.
– We have had an ongoing dialogue with KS Advokatene to ensure that the councilor handles the case in an acceptable and satisfactory manner.
It highlights that the new Municipalities Law places great emphasis on the fact that it is the councilor and not the elected deputies who are responsible for the permanent management of personnel in the municipality.
However, the mayor has asked the councilor for a statement when the municipal council meets next Monday.
– We want to hear what you have planned to take care of the work environment in the future.
– What could be the reason why Sokndal is experiencing two major personnel conflicts in two years?
– I don’t think we should put that much into it. Much is different from that time. It is the right and duty of the counselor to look at the organization. And we politicians must not fall into the trap of dealing with personnel issues relating to individual employees.
He wants to remove the municipal administrators
Behind the personnel dispute there is a desire of the councilor to reorganize the municipality.
He has proposed an alternative with a flatter structure, without municipal managers, where the councilor surrounds himself with advisers and then communicates more directly with the leaders of the matter, such as directors and leaders of nursing homes.
Oldernes still doesn’t think he’s decisive in the personnel conflict.
– In any case, it would not have had much significance for the work of these three. They would have been given a different title.
