Fine points of amalgamation still to clarify

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 40, 18 March 1986, Page 1

Fine points of amalgamation still to clarify

Last week's combined council meeting with Brian Elwood, chairman of the Local Government Commission, must have left councillors breathless. After months of negotiation and bitter disagreement Mr Elwood's careful diplomacy helped bring the councils together. The suggestion that the date when the three councils actually began working as a district council should be delayed until 1 April 1988 to allow Waimarino County to offer their ratepayers a breathing space was taken up, even though the legal machinery needed for amalgamation was to be set up in the meantime. The issue of the share of administration costs to be paid by each council, which has separated the councils again and again, was finally resolved by basing those expenses on the proportion of rate income collected by each council: Raetihi 20 per cent, Ohakune 37 per cent and Waimarino County 43 per cent. After the dust settled however it was clear that

there were still outstanding issues to consider at tonight's amalgamation steering committee meeting, including the questions of interim arrangements and the appointment of an executive officer. Raetihi Mayor Garrick Workman said he was very happy with the outcome of the meeting. "In my own view Raetihi could not have negotiated a better deal — we were concerned with the cost but if as a district council we can utilise present staff and equipment more efficiently, as suggested by Mr Elwood, then we shouldn't have to look further afield," he said. He said that Raetihi representatives on the steering committee were prepared to get round the table tonight to hammer out any outstanding points. "I hope that this time we are able to put the seal on it and make it binding," he said. Mr Workman said he would call a special council meeting to consider recommendations made at tonight's Continued on page 2

Fine points of amalgamation • • « Continued from page 1

meeting so that the final agreexnent could get to the Local Body Commission in time for its April meeting. The mayor of Ohakune, Bill Taylor, said that he too was pleased with last week's meeting but he did not think that the Ohakune council would tolerate any more delay.

"Already there is talk among some councillors that a wider union would present a preferable alternative and some are looking closely at the benefits of union with the Taupo or Taumarunui areas," he said. "Unless the Waimarino district council now pro-

ceeds rapidly I can foresee our council wishing to withdraw from the process . . . we are very conscious of the flexibility we have shown over many months to little avail." Mr Taylor said it was his personal opinion that the proposal for a local district council should go ahead, but he could not speak for all councillors. Bruce Berry, chairman of the Waimarino County Council was also happy with the outcome of last Tuesday's meeting. "We asked for a moratorium and that's what we got so we are pleased with that result," he said. He said that the county felt they were reasonable in

asking for delays in the present difficult economic times for farmers, and they were pleased that Mr Elwood understood that. "I am also pleased that our proposals at earlier steering committee meetings on administrative cost shar-. ing become the basis of discussion, and that it is realised that what we did was relevant," he said. "I think the ratepayers will be happy, and Cr Martin, who put in a lot of work, is also pleased with the outcome." Mr Berry said the county representatives were prepared to thrash out the remaining administration problems at tonight's meeting.