Two Years On

Here we have Invercargill City Council reserves as at 30 June 2009 (file name creates some confusion of the date though) and courtesy of Tuesday’s Extraordinary Finance and Policy meeting agenda, we have reserves as at 30 June 2011.

I question whether interest is attributed to the appropriate reserve accounts though?  With regards to Bluff related reserves, we have:

2009              2011
Bluff Development Fund                     $37,062           $37,061.66
Bluff Community Bd Rate                    $18,548           $29,571.51
Bluff Service Centre Building              $83,938          $111,946.70
Bluff Pool Refit                                           ——                $31,910.67

Conveniently we have a Bluff Pool loan of $31,800 and a Service Centre loan of $111,500.  They will be cancelling those loans with the reserves (logical).

There is also a Harbour works improvement reserve which I assume means Bluff Harbour.  I wonder what it’s purpose is?  In 2009 it stood at $38,674 and in 2011 it is $38,337.76.  I wonder if they did $300 odd worth of work? lol.  It costs that to pick up the phone in local government doesn’t it?

I can’t say I agree with putting the Bluff Town Hall Rate Reserve in the General category.  They make the statement in the agenda

All other Reserves all into the ‘General’ Reserve category and as such may be used for
purposes other than that currently specified.

I know it doesn’t make much sense but it also states

The majority of the Reserves are held for Council designated purposes. These can be used,
by resolution, for any other specified purpose.

I don’t agree, a Targeted Rate in my view is for that purpose and only that purpose.  While the Town Hall reserve may only be $184.28, it is garnished from the Bluff ratepayers by Council at the request of the Bluff Community Charitable Trust and endorsed and recommended by the Bluff Community Board.  It is the BCCT’s money, shouldn’t it be categorised as Specific Purpose?

I totally disagree with the operation of the BCB and BCCT and the fact that they brought the rate upon us within declaring interests or conflicts and we receive no benefit from the Hall.  One thing I’m sure of though, it is not for Council to, by resolution, use for any other specified purpose.

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.

Thanks Eirwen!

Eirwen has (because I asked) made available the Draft Asset Management Plans that go with the Infrastructure agenda.  The smallest is 3.7Mb, she sent them down to the Service Centre on CD.  They may take a little to load so be patient but at least their available online.  The 2008 Building Asset Management Plan is here and Eirwen tells me the others are on ICC’s website.  They are mostly Activity, as opposed to Asset plans though.

I did note that the Service Centre’s extension is now planned for 2014/15 at $800,000 which even though it has been put of for three years the price hasn’t increased.  Are they planning less expansion or didn’t they factor in inflation?

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.

 

 

How?

Cr Lewis raised at the 20 June meeting of Bluff Community Board that he had tried to buy oyster festival tickets with his credit card over the phone from the Service Centre and found out they don’t accept credit cards (why didn’t he buy them at ICC?)  The Board asked council to look into it and this is the response;

The Director of Finance and Corporate Services had advised that the cost to
Council of providing credit card facilities at Kiwibank would be about $250000
or a 0.5% rate increase. Council was looking at options on this matter.

How?

Remember the Kiwibank/Postshop counters have EFTPOS machines that you can withdraw cash out of (no purchase required, no limit to my knowledge).  This was available even when the Service Centre was in the Town Hall and before it was a Kiwibank/Postshop/Lotto shop.  It was a service to fill a need in the community and assist tourists to Stewart Island.  We were always told it wouldn’t continue because we were getting an ATM (hence the Kiwibank).  That never happened because Kiwibank said NO and accepting the other banks offer was a conflict for council and would risk the future of the Service Centre because it would lose $8000 p.a (that’s all we’re worth, they could have the $10k p.a. from Bluff ratepayers that the Maritime Museum have put in term deposit).  So the EFTPOS has remained and the staff to operate it and now we are told it will cost $250k to put it in credit card facilities.  How?

Doesn’t the Four Square accept credit cards?  Yes it does, I just checked.   I doubt it cost them $250k, so again I wonder, HOW?

UPDATE: My Keep and Share was playing up when I wrote this post, I’ve now checked and it was only $4,000 p.a we were worth.  Read all three pages of the link, you’ll see the need for credit cards has been going on since 2007.  Welcome to the fast lane!