Orautoha rubbish deal struck

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 669, 14 January 1997, Page 1

Orautoha rubbish deal struck

Time has healed the community wound that was troubling Orautoha residents and they will now see their rubbish transfer station sited at the old dump — their original wish. Waimarino Community Board member Gary Rawnsley told the Bulletin that a pre-Christmas meeting with council staff saw the issues resolved. He said a group of residents were to tender for the work needed at the dump site to meet Resource Management Act standards, with the money raised to be spent on the Orautoha Hall. "We had a very successful meeting," he said, "and we had a decision from Cliff (Houston) within 24 hours." Mr Rawnsley said they would be able to do the work for around $4000

— substantially less than the $30,000 estimated by council officers. "I'm still appalled and amazed that those figures, up to $30,000, were so far off the mark," he said. Council chief executive officer Cliff Houston said it was no longer necessary to go to a RMA consent hearing. He said on 5 December the old Waimarino County Council district plan expired and the new Ruapehu District Council district plan came into force. Under the rules of the old plan, which the council still had to adhere to up until that date, the sight distances for the dump entrance were not adequate. He said thanks to the compromises made with the group of residents, the work can now be done quite economically.