Council has been doing the hard yards as elected members consider the 10 year plan as well as the regular committee functions. There is a lot to be done in order that we can get the drafts for some 'light reading” over the Christmas break.

Green light
At council the BMX Club got the green light for a shift of track location from Marine Park at Sulphur Point to the old Cambridge Road tip site. They will use only a part of this large green space. Their tenure at Sulphur Point had always been a temporary measure and this move will give them a permanent home. Council/ratepayers will assist this but this club is a self help organisation and they are keen to get on and be ready for the 2011 national championships on this new site.
Bethlehem Campus Community Share proposal for public use of the college facilities for $1 million was declined by Council. Previous councils entered into some community scheme arrangements and I suspect some on this council have discomfort as to whether ratepayers get their money's worth. There are two sides to the issue and on the one hand it does provide public facilities but on the other hand council is always playing second fiddle. It's a vexed question with both sides having some validity and in the end it's an individual's call.

Messing around
At 10 year plan discussions, and that's all they are the moment, reports of Auckland's slashing of infrastructure expenditure was mentioned. Mayor Stuart Crosby referred to a reported $86m reduction in sewerage spend. He said that when the sewage overflowed they could fine themselves then use the fines to pay for repairs. That's the nub of it. You don't mess around (pun intended) with core infrastructure expenditure. That's #1 priority council business and everything else follows. Stormwater spend of $126.5m for next 10 years is committed. This council priority is for people, their private homes, their property, then public property for stormwater protection. While Otumoetai copped it in the May 18 2005 disaster other parts of the city are also vulnerable.

In the mix
Greerton Library project is still in the mix but it will either include a community centre attached or retain the Greerton Hall but not both. Even Mayor Stuart Crosby now agrees. We (ratepayers) simply can't afford both. Otumoetai Pool will likely get some upgrade but to what extent is yet to be decided. Durham Street carpark will be pushed further out in the 10 year plan – at an estimated $12m it's just too much to do by 2014.
Likewise we're going to have discussions about some creative funding with Western Bay Council over funding TECT and Huharua Parks. Cutting cycling and walking expenditure may jeopardise the $135m? (I thought it was $150 million) transport money from Central Government so we'll have to reconsider that.

Agonising decision
Boat ramp charges are now on the backburner. According to a front page story the Bay Times reported that elected members had been 'agonising for months”. I was declared as 'jubilant” – 'boat ramp charges gone by morning tea.” Just how they ascertained our 'agonising” or my 'jubilation” wasn't stated. Why they include these hyperbole is a mystery, especially as they're not true.
In the scheme of things boat ramp charges aren't going to even dent our expenditure problems. In fact I wasn't happy at bowling out any user pays initiative but I've always said that user pays should be across the board. Art galleries, museums, sports fields, boat ramps etc and we're not going to pick off individual pursuits on a whim. And contrary to their report I did not assure Mayor Stuart Crosby that current parking would cope with the situation for the next 10 years. I specifically said that the amenity would cope except for peak usage – about 10 to 15 days a year. At the end of four days we hadn't made anywhere near enough cuts in the grand plan so there's more gut wrenching to be done. On a straw poll we guesstimated a 1% growth factor over each of the next three years for the 10 year plan. That's 111 and Wayne Moultrie said it sounded like an emergency number.

No rush
Thank goodness council didn't rush head long into that waterfront museum. We would be facing a $3-$4 million operational expenditure or a 4% - 5% rate increase next year for that alone. On that subject interviews have been completed for the community members to lead a museum proposal for council to facilitate. A report is going to council recommending appointments and it is in my opinion a very competent group if council agrees. Intention is to get it up and running by February.
An excellent presentation on the effects of toxicity from sprays from Michael Scadden. There's no doubt the world is sitting on a toxic spray time bomb but like the May 18 storm it will take a major event to trigger major action. I'm in a quandary. How to maintain the city's vegetation growth, parks, and reserves if sprays aren't used. I asked for an update of costs if we didn't use sprays. A forum of spray watchers is to be re-formed. Toxic sprays will be the next worldwide fear factor after global warming scare has run its course. Like Y2K, SARS, bird flu but toxic sprays effects are real along with heavy metal in the food chain. We are what we eat.

The cricket truth
Bay Cricket proposal at Blake Park got a good airing. A Bay Times story on this did not accurately reflect the true position. Originally cricket was to do its own thing. Then they asked for a council/ratepayer contribution for public toilets/changing rooms. Council agreed (cost $550,000) and this was to be built within their pavilion. But now their fund raising has run on the rocks and somehow it's all council's fault. They did a contra over earthworks trading off council/ratepayers sand worth $400,000 approx.
Now I'm not bagging them, that was a good idea, but don't come the raw prawn about lack of progress being council's fault. We've bent over backwards.
Even mild mannered Mayor Stuart Crosby rebuked them saying that the outburst in the Bay Times didn't build good relationships. Council decided not to forward fund the $550,000 but to retain it to actually build the facilities. A suitably contrite Kelvin Jones from cricket thanked council for its consideration at the end of the debate.

He will be missed
Sadly I record the passing of Western Bay Mayor Graeme Weld. I met Weldy in 1972 through business and found him to be a real kiwi. His word was his bond and what you saw was what you got. Salt of the earth and I'll miss his one liners – my favourite - the rocks of reality. His successor will have big boots to fill. Thanks for all you did for your community Graeme. You did it well.