Reseal, then ditch digging "brainless"

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 572, 7 February 1995, Page 5

Reseal, then ditch digging "brainless"

Resealing a road, then cutting it up for access to services "the very next day" was "brainless" according to Waimarino Community Board member Ben Goddard. He was referring to work done on Ruapehu Road recently, where contractors had resealed the road, then the road surface was cut the next day in two places just metres apart to work on services. "We've got to put up with that ditch in the road for 1 5 years (until the next reseal)," he said. He also complained that the surface was also not worked on before the reseal, so that faults were merely covered over. Council engineer Bruce Dobson said it was normal procedure to carry out maintenance work before a reseal. Mayor Garrick Workman said he was not happy about it but wanted to point out that "it used to happen in the good old days too".

Member Bob Peck added to the complaints, saying the system of using contractors fell down when a fire was reported recently at the Raetihi dump. He said the fire spread smog right over Raetihi. "The council officer was available and he did his duty, but the contractor was not available and so it wasn't dealt with until 10am the next morning." "We need some Total Quality Management. The system isn't put together right," he said referring to the council' s spread of responsibilities among contractors.