My Account
Unbelievable cost
John Simons, Orewa. Published April 1, 2018.
Hibiscus Matters’ March 14 issue reports costs involved to date for Council to seek resource consent from itself to build the Orewa sea wall stand at $660,000. This is made up of Tonkin & Taylor’s fee of $516,800 and legal fees of $143,549. I find this almost beyond unbelievable. I suspect this will in fact not represent the full cost as there will be various costs related to Council’s own internal expenditure, their design and consents sections – a design section obviously not competent to actually design the sea wall, and a consent section that holds itself competent to approve the design. Add to this the cost of three highly paid independent commissioners who rejected the whole scheme as non-compliant with Council’s own protocols. I have no idea why the legal fees would be that high and perhaps they should have alerted council to the scheme’s non-compliance in the first place. As to the engineers’ fees, I believe this demands a public enquiry. This is for a relatively uncomplicated sea wall and concrete footpath, not some mega structural marvel. The fee would probably include bore holes and soil stability test costs and the like. But if one simply assumes a charge out rate of say $250 an hour, the engineers’ account equates to some 2000 hours, or 52 weeks’ full time work for a design engineer.
I believe we ratepayers are once again being ripped off and we should demand some accountability from those supposed to be looking after our interests.
Poor service
Bob Bicker, Gulf Harbour. Published April 1, 2018.
Recently I went into a local barbers for a quick cut. Upon approaching the shop a client was walking out which I guess confirmed they were open for business. Entering, one member was sweeping up after the last customer, he looked at me then carried on sweeping. Another was vaping, he too looked at me and carried on puffing. There were two more sat on a settee watching the TV, they too looked up and carried on watching. I thought I’d introduce myself as the invisible man but I guess they would not have seen the funny side of it; however I did as humour that was all that was left of this debacle. Yes, I walked away
Call for action
Beverley McLeod, Red Beach (abridged). Published April 1, 2018.
The plans for the proposed Whangaparaoa Town Centre upgrade have been released and submissions called for (HM February 14). The large new community centre pictured at the gateway to the town centre is an urgently needed multi-purpose facility for the 30,000 Whangaparaoa population. A similar year long consultation is urgently required to achieve financing and the best design to accommodate all community activities and needs in this proposed large modern facility. As Council’s next 10-year budget is now being prepared, we request Council to urgently begin consultation about the Whangaparaoa community hall. The Ratepayers’ hall corner site has an estimated market value of $6 million. It appears that to progress the town centre plans and proposed community centre, a Council chaired public meeting would be required which could also initiate the gifting of this $6 million public hall property back into community ownership. Those funds may partly satisfy Council’s required 50 percent community contribution towards a new building’s construction costs. If the community does not support Council’s town centre initiative with submissions and demand meetings to progress construction of a new community centre this year, it would appear that we may never achieve the modern facilities pictured in the plans.
Theft from visitor
Sidtsara Ross, Orewa (abridged). Published April 1, 2018.
I fell in love with Orewa Beach in 1978 and made the commitment to come back again. Forty years and 19 visits on I’ve stayed in all sorts of accommodation from apartments and motels to backpackers and cabins. This year, travelling alone, I rented a small camper from a local provider so I could sleep close to the ocean before I head back to the cold snowy UK. On March 19 my camper was broken into on the Orewa Surf Club carpark and all my bags were taken – including every piece of clothing. I was left with just the tee shirt and shorts I was wearing, along with documents and laptop which I took on my walk. One kind local woman heard about the theft and gave me a bag of clothes. It Two charity shops in Orewa found some warm clothes for me to wear when I return to the UK. People can be so kind. I hope to return in the not too distant future.
Safer on the footpath?
Liane Harper, Orewa. Published April 1, 2018.
To the pedestrian who was crossing Centreway Rd to the bus stop recently as I was riding my bike carefully along the footpath and who reminded me that “it is not a shared path” – may I say in my defence: I rang my bell to make you aware of my presence and I slowed down to allow you to safely step onto the footpath and move into the bus shelter. I would have ridden off onto the grass and around you but the bus shelter’s position precluded that action. Unfortunately, a few drivers (fortunately not all – most being careful and considerate) also share your point of view and don’t like sharing with cyclists. I often find it safer to ride carefully on the footpath and, for self-protection, I would rather endure a grumpy pedestrian than a grumpy driver. Perhaps you have had a previous bad experience with a cyclist, but, if that is the case, it is a shame that you have to tar us all with the same brush. Interestingly, I did note that you crossed the road within 20m of a pedestrian crossing which is illegal in NZ. Perhaps this is a case of “people who live in glass houses”?
Correction
Evelyn Tate, Weiti Boating Club commodore. Published April 1, 2018.
The article about Weiti Boating Club’s new filtration system (HM March 14) suggests the Club sends all contaminants directly to the river, which is not quite accurate. Prior to the works on the new filtration system we are currently installing, the club had very tight control over the discharge of waste and antifoul sandings to the river. We have a small filtration system already in place and all boats were bunded with containment socks and tarpaulins, the sandings/washings being collected manually and transferred to the existing filtration system. The club is very conscious of our environment and beautiful river surroundings, always working for a cleaner healthier home for ourselves and the Coasters we share it with.
