North versus South in council public relations

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 7, Issue 366, 11 December 1990, Page 4

North versus South in council public relations

• I would like to congratulate the Ruapehu District Council on its public relations exercise when informing the people of Ohakune as to the state of their water supply. This issue along with the Rangataua sewerage problem going unnoticed for two weeks has confirmed my views that council and management in the north have blatant disregard for the people in the South. Now that this nasty organism Giardia is out in the open, something has to be done about the Ohakune water supply. This raises some interesting questions as to who is going to pay for this, option one, a differential rating system for Ohakune, council had already ruled this system out for the Waimarino county ward. Two, user pays, if this was implemented why are we all paying for the National Park sewerage system? Three, uniform charge, this would mean that Taumarunui rate payers paid the most, maybe this option has potential, especially if Ohakune was to get a

water treatment plant before the Southern region breaks away. However I don't thirik this is likely to happen with the imbalance of power. The northem region has nine councillors or 64.3% of the vote, Waimarino has three councillors or 21.4% and Waiouru holds the balance. How did this gross imbalance of power occur? Taumarunui town doesn't have a community board, why?, does it have extra councillors instead?, if so was the southern region given this option when council was formed? or was there a secret agenda by the empire builders in the north? We are all aware of how frustrated and powerless local community boards are and we would rather have a councillor to act on our behalf. However after having said that, do councillors have the time and resources to prove or dispute what the management team puts in front of them? One wonders how much rate payers are going to put up with, huge increases for

Waimarino rural, increases in sewerage rates for the tourist industry and schools, lack of communication from management on water and sewerage problems. I read in this weeks issue of the Ruapehu Bulletin that concemed individuals are paying out of their own pockets to fit water filtration equipment to Ohakune Primary school's drinking fountains. Are councillors going to stand idly by and let rate payers fix their own problems while they and management take out $600,000 in salaries? Other smaller things such as the infrequent mowing of the Raetihi recreational field and general up keep of lawns and gardens around Raetihi. The perceived rate decrease to the towns is at some cost. To management in the north I prescribe one glass of Ohakune water three times daily until a change of attitude towards the people in the south takes place.

A.G

.Godfrey.