National Park ratepayers join forces

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 7, Issue 339, 12 June 1990, Page 1

National Park ratepayers join forces

National Park ratepayers have formed an association to keep tabs on their rates and on council following a meeting on Saturday 2 June. The meeting was called to discuss what local ratepayers feel is a too-high rates burden on the town and a progressive ratepayers association formed, to help the flow of information between residents and the council. Council representatives at the meeting were told the council had inherited the responsibility for the high rates. Resident Chris Chapman said the Taumarunui County Council had worked on false population figures for the village when they looked at new water and sewerage systems. He said they ended up with a "Rolls Royce system" rather than a smaller but adequate system. Another resident said the county council had got them into their present situation and that the Rua[ehu District Council, having taken over the county, should get them out of it. Both the mayor, Garrick Workman and the council general manager, Cliff Houston said that other areas of the Ruapehu District would not be able to share the National Park rates burden because they all had commitments of their own. Ex-Taumarunui County Councillor Don Middleton blamed the government for the present dilemma and said without the schemes there would be no chance for development for National Park.