Continuing on with inspection tours of city amenities and services, some elected members visited the airport this week.

It's another unheralded industry comprising 550 acres of open space in the centre of the city.
Very capably run by manager Ray Dumble, assisted by one staff and a part timer. It runs at no cost to ratepayers. We looked at the new terminal upgrade carparking reorganisation and drove down the 1.8 km runway (keeping in touch with air traffic control). It's a busy airport combining commercial operators, airlines, aero club, glider club, private aircraft and helicopter flight training school and Classic Flyers Museum. The Classic Flyers Museum is worth a visit with some amazing aircraft and World War II exhibits. I was told most of the World War II vehicles are in working condition. No ratepayer input into this either! And nor was any sought. Have a fly in the Boeing 737 simulator or try the best view of the Bay from the MASH 4077 helicopter.
A new (but second hand) fire truck is due to arrive this week. With a replacement cost of over $1 million it didn't cost anything like that but it will do the job. It's also available with a lot of foam on board for large scale fires, should they happen around the city.
At Council, elected members met with the City Centre redevelopment group to look at their proposals. Down from the pie in the sky $50 million estimate to an estimated $20 million this proposal will now go in the mix of the 10 year plan. Don't get too excited, either way, about this as there is a long list in the 10 year plan with once again too much left to do at the end of your money. The $400 million debt cap will limit Council's financial destiny into the future and that's not a target! Elected members are very aware of the financial markets.
Great response to my request for responses to the Otumoetai Pool situation. Too many in fact. I'm not very proficient at the keyboard so I may have missed some replies. But thanks to all who responded – the more cynical Council members will be distressed to learn that I've got so many readers.
The Southern Pipeline project preparation continues. We have to do this come what may and we will be firming up on the detailed route in the near future. We are hoping for competitive tenders for the work and where possible Council believes – all things being equal – in buy local.
Submissions to the plans for use of toxic agrichemicals for vegetation management policy were heard and listened to by Council. It's a vexed question Council has grappled with before. If we don't spray parks and reserves they deteriorate and become unusable. Some people say nasty things happen to them when the sprays are used We tried a hot saltwater system called 'Waipuna” to replace some sprays back in the nineties but found it didn't live up to expectations. We've yet to determine the outcome but if Council continues with spraying we will need to tighten up considerably on the how, what, when and why of the application of the sprays.
The Bay Times reported this week my one liner about 'putting the monkeys on show” in their story I reported last week on Rick Curach's proposal to record Council meetings. What they omitted and I would have thought it critical to the story was that no-one was against the idea. Wayne Moultrie commented that it would cost peanuts which prompted my comment. It was received with the good humour it was spoken with although their story didn't indicate that.
While on the subject of the Times I note a double standard. Last week apparently eight of their senior staff lost their jobs. In the past when this happens in city businesses it sometimes makes the front page. But for some reason not when it applies to them. Twenty or so lost their jobs when they relocated another department to Auckland a while ago – once again no mention. Obviously it is a time of much heartache and our hearts go out to those who don't want to lose their jobs but if it is news for other firms then it must surely be news for them – wouldn't it?
Interviews are presently underway to form the community side of a new museum committee. There will be five community members and five from Council to look at museum options. It will be community-led and Council facilitated. My interpretation of community led is that a majority of the community will support a museum, its site and are prepared to help pay for it. Council facilitation is administrative support, background information, provision of a site if Council already owns it, resources of existing exhibit storage and some ratepayer funding along the lines of present funding. A Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) has already been created to run it so that it can be independent of Council and all the baggage that might go with that. However with the almost certain bite the worldwide economic downturn could take once the silly season (election campaign) is over and reality returns the museum will have to get in line with a lot of other planned expenditure in the next 10 year plan.
This lot of elected members are very aware and concerned for both the city's and ratepayers financial well being in the coming years and next weeks 10 year plan meetings will give a direction for future priority spending.