Nothing Changes

I was trying to find out when the STL stops putting ‘Your View’ online and came across this.  It’s interesting because it’s a year and a half old but nothing has changed.  The Town Hall is still empty, we still pay a levy (but now the expenditure is twice the levy) and the community board and community trust still regularly meet without the residents knowing what they are getting up to.  The letter referred to 536 residents saying enough (the Board didn’t care though and attempted to trivialise it by saying at verbal submissions that they were mostly from ‘the pubs and kids’).  Eighteen months on and we now have them giving the finger to 728 residents. I’m having trouble thinking of an example of when the advocated for the residents.  Can anyone think of an issue?

The saddest thing is that people still aren’t speaking out.  I receive emails from people with their examples (and anger) at the Board and responding to things I’ve said on the blog.  The statistics show that people are reading, the feedback confirms it but bugger all comment on it!  Because we didn’t have a vote this election, we can’t tell them (with our vote) whether we want them or not.  This blog gives people that opportunity.  I’m happy to put up a post for others, their own words, their name (or not).  It will continue if you let it.  I know SOOOOOOO many people that have great ideas for Bluff and usually regale the same story about who knocked them back or wouldn’t take it to the Board.  I believe we are allowing Stalin rule in this town and as a result we will continue to be screwed over and have everything dumped on us, Town Hall, swimming pool, ATM, restoration of the RSA Grove and Hill, the common thread is that the Board had prior knowledge or Public Excluded involvement.

Who gives a s#$t if they bitch and moan about you or your opinion, use a nom de plume, but say something if you want things to improve otherwise they will continue to use the Trust for tourist crap and possibly want more from our rates for the Town Hall and continue to represent us badly to ICC and ICC will fob off and ignore Bluff issues more and more.

C’mon, what’s your idea? what’s your thoughts? we know they are reading so tell them or we will continue to be treated like mushrooms.

Community Sets Out To Revamp Glengarry

Community Sets Out To Revamp Glengarry Bluff

(Click on image to enlarge)

While I was cutting out Letters to the Editor I came across this again.  I was in one of my emotive, ranting ‘I have a dream’ moods.  Discussion later in the day with some others led to simple little things that can be done and reminded me of a phone call I received supporting my views  after I wrote Letter to the Editor.  While the rezone ideals are part of ‘The Big Picture’ and to prevent expansion and direct growth in a more tourism and beautification direction to attract (and retain) businesses that make our main street more appealing as a destination (not a thoroughfare to Stewart Island and/or the signpost and Hill).  The rezone is the regulatory side and takes time but the Spatial Plan is a 30 year living document, may as well show your hand at the early stages.  It is the vision of and for the people, the RMA (District Plan legislation) does not care what the people want, it only cares about the natural environment.

What can the community do?  Glengarry are doing it.  They realise that the community spirit needs to return and one would hope that people with ideas feel comfortable to step forward and raise their ideas without fear of persecution.  Recent media has shown that this is a problem in Bluff.  It is NOT a new problem.  I hark back to that phone call, the person was frustrated, the idea had been done before and he/she was confused why it wasn’t carried on.  He/she told me what they had heard and I expressed what I had heard and we realised where the problem was and chatting away, bouncing ideas around came up with a simple way to prevent that happening again.  As a mother of four I couldn’t commit to any more tasks but now wonder if I might approach the person and say ‘want to do it’.  He/she had made the suggestion through his/her network  (he/she had been knocked back hence the frustrated phone call) and I then bounced the idea around my networks and more people expressed their agreement and tweaking.  Voila, an easy solution and some community buy in by those that have been told.  Imagine if we had a forum for all those to come forward and do that, without persecution and with respect.  I believe that’s what Glengarry are doing right, getting the buy in then moving forward.  They also have the need to fundraise, we don’t, check Charities Commission and Societies.govt.  We have the money in town and many groups are doubling up on things that could be a shared services arrangement.

I know of ideas people have expressed that range from green waste, hanging baskets, community centre, Club Hotel solutions, shared services, RSA grove…and probably many more as well as those raised by the frustrated people at the Bluff Hill meeting (read the notes HERE, page 19 on).

If only we had the forum?  Was the Bluff Hill meeting that forum?  I’ve been told many locals felt annoyed that they didn’t have communication until after the fact and they were not given opportunity to be heard at that meeting.

Even though we have a community board and promotions group do we now need a residents group also?

Comments on The Big Picture

ICC are accepting ‘comments’ (note: non-statutory therefore no formal submission process) on ‘The Big Picture’ (Spatial Plan) until ‘the end of October’.  If you’ve got something to comment on email it to bigpicture@icc.govt.nz

I am frequently surprised by council’s lack of foresight.  While they may consider themselves as moving with the times (and technology) by creating a DVD, what if I want more information like the maps?  Can I view them online?…no…have to kill a tree (and waste money on printing) when they could have had it online and cut costs even more.

It’s a pity our Board weren’t on to it enough to have the Rezone Gore Street views added in there.  The Board met with planners and came up with ‘leave it to the 2012 District Plan review’.  I’m not going to prattle on about them supporting the views of their constituents (it would be beyond most of them).

They obviously don’t get ‘the big picture’…all along ICC have said that the spatial plan is a guiding, all encompassing document and one would assume a living ever-evolving document.  So the Board are wasting time, resources and consultation opportunities.  Why be involved in the process (two bites at the cherry) and intentionally put off the rezoning idea.  ICC will now have to deal with representations from supporters of the Rezone during the Spatial Plan and DP Review and the paperwork that goes along with that.  Had it been included and endorsed in the Big Picture it would have then followed that “council would anchor that vision in legal documents like the Long Term Plan and District Plan”.  Those are Jackie Kruger’s words from the DVD, she also informed the Board that they were ‘looking at them to provide leadership on the rezoning’.  BTW that does not mean decide what you want and get the others to follow!

We now have a possible (highly probable) scenario that the Big Picture will be adopted and then have to be amended (or outdated) if the District Plan Review endorses rezoning.  Remember that the ones who chose to fob off the rezone are also the ones charged with leading the implementation of the Bluff Concept Plan (2002).  Peruse the plan and you will see it’s vision does not include promoting and allowing the increase of industry on the main street, quite the opposite.  Maybe it needs to spelled out.

• The rezone fits perfectly with the concept plan.

• Current zoning does not.

• You are not doing your job.

Comments welcome on the ISSUE.  I can provide evidence to support the claims, feel free to ask.

 

 

More PE from ICC

The Office of the Ombudsmen has done a great job resolving my LGOIMA request and ICC have supplied an excerpt from 4 March 2008 Finance and Policy in Public Excluded.  The subject is Bluff Events Centre.  The discussion has some comments that make me giggle especially from Cr Kruger.  I wonder if they are ‘kicking themselves’ now.  The minutes mention page 44 of the agenda, that agenda has now been supplied.

The 4 March 2008 agenda may be of interest to some as it includes the draft 2008/2009 budgets.

Having some technical/mental issues so it’s an ASHX as opposed to a PDF like I usually upload.  Everything is in the too hard basket for me at the moment so you’ll just have to deal with it.

Repeal the Anti Smacking Law NOW…

…..so I can smack the Youth Council upstarts round the ears!

I don’t care if you don’t care about history but maybe every bugger that died, fought and struggled to provide you the liberties you have now, do.  Be it democracy, women’s rights, social welfare or protection from oppression, you don’t deserve it!

I realise you were referring to Anniversary day but such disregard for history shows you have no respect for the work involved in creating the community you benefit from everyday.

So you want the day off with no regard to what you are celebrating?  Well enjoy your drinks (at 18)and remember your history, and the people that fought and died before they were legally allowed to purchase alcohol!!! FFS!

Well Done ICC!!! LGOIMA prevails.

Surprisingly Invercargill City Council have fulfilled my Public Excluded minutes request without the need for the Ombudsman.  I have to say ‘well done’ and while giving them a pat on the back say ‘thanks for uploading tabled documents to their website after meetings’.  Actually they’ve been a lot more on to it and getting the agenda up on time, if not early.  So thumbs up to ICC:-)

Meanwhile the minutes provide a little more clarity on the Bluff Events Centre sale and where different parties stood on the issue (if the minutes are an accurate reflection of their views).  I will now be requesting the minutes of the meeting that the Board requested to speak before, Finance and Policy, in Public Excluded (and associated reports).

I will say that the resolution from this meeting annoys me a little.  The Board RESOLVED to speak to Finance and Policy in PUBLIC EXCLUDED.  I’m sure LGOIMA specifies that when compiling an agenda ‘the CEO my hold back any reports he/she reasonably believes will be held in Public Excluded’.  Why is the CEO, charged with the responsibility of adhering to LGOIMA, allowing a board to direct him or the councillors involved what will and will not be in PE?  If you want to meet do it on their terms, it’s their meeting.  Irrelevant of that, do they realise what Public Excluded means…it means they are asking ICC to actively exclude the public, the people who vote them in, the people they represent, the people who’s money they are playing with.  If you think you’re doing your job well, you shouldn’t need the cover of PE to conduct business!  It seems to me they aren’t confident in their argument or the outcome and are using PE to shield their incompetence from the watchful eyes of those who put them there.