Board rejects less meetings proposal

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

Board rejects less meetings proposal

A lively discussion was held at last week's Waimarino Community Board meeting as to whether the Board would accept the proposed new cycle of sixweekly meetings, to replace the present monthly cycle.

Garrick Workman's introductory remarks that he had voted against the "six monthly - oops - six weekly" cycle to allow each Board Autonomy to decide how often to meet, did nothing to allay the almost unanimous feeling that power is being taken out of the hands of local government by the District Council. Ben Goddard voiced the general feeling that six weekly meetings were "out of the question", issues arising that need to be dealt with monthly. The chairman pointed out that as it is, the current monthly meeting always run

over time, so six weekly ones "would be worse still, unless we make it an all-day meeting." Bruce Thompson expressed the generally felt concern that the saving on money angle was simply "an excuse" to cut back on the number of meetings and therefore limit power of the local Community Board. But Doug Bennett argued that the limit put on remuneration was only to "put the lid on" all the money spent in servicing endless meetings. In this way it would relieve the work load on the staff and Turnpage2

Community board has gripe session

From page 1 keep rates down by controlling costs. Despite Workman's suggestion to give the six weekly cycle a try, it was unanimously decided to retain the present eleven meetings a year. "With administrative support?", Garrick queried. "Essential", Bill Peach replied, speaking for everyone. Gripe session Thompson's despondent questioning of "why hold more meetings? Are we achieving our aims? Is anyone listening anyway?" provoked Workman to ask for a more open expression of councillors' "gripes". Thomp-

son responded by speaking of his "frustration" that as a community councillor everything is taken out of his hands by "Houston and his cronies", unlike the previous Waimarino District Council. Chairman Webb joined in the gripe session, concerned over recent council vehicles purchased outside the district. He was followed by John Compton, worried about the resignation of the dog ranger. Winston Oliver revealed that he, like the other farmers, didn't know where to buy dogdosing tablets from now that the dosing is

to be done privately. However, one needn't be alarmed about a possible increase in hydatids, since the dog ranger has to blood test all dogs, the meeting heard. Arguments over the user pays system bounced around, giving all who wished the opportunity to air their feelings. Ben Goddard pointed out that some answers had been successfully achieved in areas such as the water treatment system and now the tank that is to be water blasted and painted by Graham Dixon and other volunteers in Jubilee Park. Workman was gratified to see that the Board

admitted that "these swines (council) are listening after all!" Engineer Don Sattler caught the feeling of the evening when it came to his turn to present his report to be submitted to the District Council for maintenance expenses in the Ohakune/Raetihi area. After a fruitless discussion as to which of the items could be omitted if necessary, it was agreed with Sattler that the two swimming pools and the new concrete strips at the cemetary were priorities. Sattler said he seldom expressed how he felt, but here spoke openly about feeling "extremely upset" that he had only just received approval for the three months transition budget, leaving him only four weeks to

spend what is needed for three months. He has been put in the "embarrassing situation" of having, for instance, 3000 cubic metres of maintenance

metal to be used in the next three weeks, whereas the rural sector has seen him as " doing nothing" in the last two months, because his hands were tied.