Mayor reassures rural ratepayers

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 282, 11 April 1989, Page 1

Mayor reassures rural ratepayers

Waimarino Mayor Garrick Workman has said there is no way the rural ward of the District will face a 20 per cent rates rise. He says the draft estimates made public at recent council meetings, which the Bulletin reported on, contain a number of errors, and that councillors will be trimming next year's rural ward expenditure as much as possible.

The following is a letter from Mayor Workman outlining the issue from his point of view. "May I state very clearly and very emphatically (preferably on the front page of your newspaper in similar style to the headline of 28/3/89) that it is not my plan (as suggested by B.A. Marshall last week), nor I would hope the plan of The Waimarino District Councillors, to increase rates in the Rural Ward by 20% or anything like 20% this coming financial year. Draft only May I remind all those rural ratepayers who were no doubt incensed by this feature article and the ratepayers of Ohakune and Raetihi that the estimates have been presented in draft form only by the District Manager for discussion. As it turns out there were a number of errors included in this draft and through lack of time at the last meeting any real discussion was deferred as far as rural and to a lesser extent urban rates were concerned. For the District Manager to take it upon himself to be interviewed on this matter by the Bulletin without the knowledge of either myself or the Council under these circumstances is incomprehensible. Annoyed Certainly I am intensely annoyed that he did so at all, let alone before any real statement of intent or resolution to that effect was made by The Waimarino District Council. From here on it will be very much a task for the District Manager and his staff correcting

the errors contained in the draft and then in conjunction with Council making a serious attempt to prune expenditure wherever possible, particularly in the Rural Ward. Council is well aware of the struggle out there in the farming commu-

nity, hence the decision last year to hold the increase to 1.8% overall. Having made this statement I will concede a rate increase is likely this year but nowhere in the vicinity of 20%. We simply will not allow that to happen. In regard to the addi-

tional funding required for both the Rangataua and Pipiriki Sewerage schemes I can advise that this will have an effect on the rural rate struck overall, but as both these schemes are self-funding there will be no rate requirement Turn nape 2

Rates reassurance

Frompagell from ratepayers residing outside of these two areas. I trust that this explanation clarifies the situation somewhat and eases the minds of not only rural ratepayers and residents but those in Ohakune and Raetihi

as well.

G.S.

Workman

Footnote : I have since spoken to the District Manager on his return from holiday and he has explained that he was only clarifying points of concern rather than adding anything further other than what had been discussed at that meeting. I have accepted that

explanation, however, it does not alter the fact that neither myself or the council were aware that this interview had occurred and in future where contentious issues of this type are being reported in this manner that either myself or council should at least be aware of them.