Agderposten has uncovered a political scandal in Arendal.
They have told about the resignation of municipal director Harald Danielsen, who recently retired after 23 years as top manager in the municipality. Danielsen was thanked with two festive dinners at the municipality’s expense for a total of NOK 300,000.
13. december Danielsen is thanked by, together with the unit managers, at a dinner in Arendal’s old town hall for NOK 97,000:
- Four-course dinner for 55 people. NOK 83,000.
- Entertainment. DKK 14,000.
15. december a large celebratory dinner is held for 80 people at Arendal’s old town hall to DKK 193,000:
- DKK 125,000 for a three-course dinner.
- Entertainment for NOK 20,000: Two artists, one comedian, sound technician and own company to edit video greetings.
- Gift: A work of art by artist Kjell Nupen for NOK 24,950.
- NOK 10,000 for flowers and chocolates.
- NOK 13,400 to fly in two of Danielsen’s children from Bergen and Dublin respectively.
Agderposten writes that the municipality’s personal handbook states that employees with 20 years of continuous service receive a gift card worth NOK 3,000. Danielsen was thus honored with a sum 100 times higher than what is normal for an employee with similar experience.
also read
Reprimands the mayor’s salary: – It’s unheard of
What did you get when you retired? Let me know by email: henrik.heldahl@nettavisen.no.
Adopted “tight budget”
Just hours before the celebratory dinner on 15 December, the budget for 2023 was released adopted in the city council.
– There is no doubt that there is tight room for manoeuvring, said deputy mayor Terje Eikin (KrF) when he presented the budget proposal.
The budget proposal came from Danielsen himself, according to NRK Sørlandet referred to the budget as uncertain:
– I call it a budget on clay feet. It is more characterized by risk than cuts and is very unpredictable due to the corona compensation and uncertainty related to income and expenditure, he said when the proposal was presented on 3 November.
I think it was a good use of money
Deputy mayor Eikin tells Nettavisen that they believe the municipal director has done an excellent job. It was natural to invite all 39 of the city council to the closing, since Danielsen is employed by the city council, explains Eikin and adds:
– And then it was natural to invite the main shop stewards, the municipal director’s management team and some national and regional representatives from the county council and KS central, says the deputy mayor to Nettavisen.
Chairman of KS, the municipalities’ interest organisation, Gunn Marit Helgesen, attended one of the parties and helped to thank Danielsen after the town council meeting.
Eikin further explains that he and the mayor were responsible for planning the one dinner, on 15 December, and that the food was the biggest expense.
– The dinner was a three-course meal at Arendal’s old town hall, where our own kitchen is the ones who prepared the dinner.
– The final sum of these two parties is 100 times more than what an ordinary employee with 20 years of continuous service gets in Arendal. How can one defend such a big difference compared to what another employee with the same long experience would get?
– The municipal director’s position is in a special position. It is completely different from all other positions in that he is the only one employed by the city council, and it is of course a management position that is much more public and exposed.
also read
– Politicians get trips abroad as thanks for their efforts
– So you are not self-critical about this?
– No, I have to answer for myself, and I think it was a good mark of a municipal director who has made a long, long effort for our municipality.
– Two sets of rules
Marius Aron Nilsen (Frp), who represents Arendal’s population in the Storting, reacts to the spending.
– I fully understand that you want to thank the municipal director with over 20 years of service for long and faithful service, but the sums used here, with two grand parties, are incorrect. More moderation should have been shown, especially in light of the economic situation the country is in. It will be very unmusical and objectionable, he says to Nettavisen.
– The municipality has also referred to its own budget as tight and demanding, and at several schools cuts were proposed, which makes this matter even worse. It is the wrong signal to send to both employees and the population.
Nilsen believes that the other employees in the municipality will not be happy with the news about the parties.
– Here they have beaten the big drum too much, especially in light of what other municipal employees get as a thank you when they give up, says the parliamentary representative who lives in the neighboring town of Grimstad.
– What do you think ordinary municipal employees think when they read about this?
– I would assume that they feel unappreciated, because there seem to be two sets of rules that apply. It’s a real shame.
also read
New figures show the enormous sums that have been lost to Switzerland
– Other municipal employees with the same driving time thus receive NOK 3,000, while here there are gifts for NOK 30,000 and plane tickets for two children.
– It is important to state that it is the mayor and deputy mayor who have decided this, not the municipal director himself. They should make a real show of him, but they lack guts here. It shows poor judgment on the part of the mayor and deputy mayor in this matter.
