Municipal leaders impressed with Farmar

Text and photo: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

- Not many of us realised that they are so big and do so much. It's simply impressive," says Flekkefjord mayor Torbjørn Klungland.

He heads the Lister Intermunicipal Council and brought administrative and political leaders from the six municipalities to Farmar's newly refurbished offices in Strandgaten in Farsund. County mayor Arne Thomassen also attended.

"We try to include a company visit before each meeting. This time we were in Farsund, and it was natural to include a visit to Farmar. The visit was organised by the municipality," says Klungland.

THE DELEGATION met up at Farmar's reception. Before the tour of the the newly renovated office premisesIngrid Williamsen, Mayor of Farsund, took the floor:

"I'd just like to say that Farmar is a company that we are very proud to have in Farsund," she proclaimed.

WITH COFFEE in their cups, mineral water in their glasses and locally baked doughnuts on the table, the municipal leaders eventually gathered in Farmar's canteen.

There they received a thorough presentation from CEO John W. Nilsen about company history, operations and future plans.

"It was a very pleasant group to have visiting us. I feel that Farmar is in many ways a hidden resource. Our services and equipment can be utilised in many areas, especially in relation to municipal emergency plans. But if we are to be included in the plans, we must also be included in exercises. It's important that we are coordinated," says Nilsen.

HE POINTS that Farmar is perhaps the private institution in Norway with the most emergency preparedness materials when it comes to pollution and crisis preparedness.

"Our salvage package is designed to handle private commercial assignments, but can just as easily be used by municipalities. We have capacity for pumps, oil recovery and booms - everything needed in a crisis situation, whether it's flooding, firefighting or pollution," says Nilsen.

IN THE PRESENTATION he also advocated that the Lister municipalities need to co-operate more with the offshore wind environments to the east.

"We can say what we like about offshore wind power, but we have to realise how big the industry is in Europe. The need for electricity won't disappear, and neither will offshore wind power, so it's important that we don't turn our backs on the industry to which Norwegian suppliers already deliver goods and services worth NOK 40 billion annually," says Nilsen.

"It's important to look beyond municipal boundaries. We've recently been working closely with organisations in Mandal and Kristiansand, including through Windport. This has been very well received in political circles nationally," says Nilsen.

NILSEN ALSO addresses the issue of electricity demand in the commercial areas of the district.

"When the electricity grid is so weak that it prevents new businesses from being established, it is the developer's responsibility to advance the entire cost to the grid company, regardless of size. With a development time of perhaps up to several years, it goes without saying that we will not be able to attract new businesses to rural areas. Locally, this hits particularly hard in Lundevågen and Hausvik in Lyngdal," says Nilsen.