Question Time

I already covered my presentation to the LTP on 10 May and one question (from Cr Esler).  Already much of it is foggy (Thursday and Friday were hectic) but I do remember Cr Ludlow throwing one at me.  He pointed out that ‘a submission’ (I know it was from Bluff Community Board) had presented the same idea for green waste processing in Bluff.

Anyone that knows me knows I am candid (my sister says I have no tact) so I answered with the reality of the situation.  Charlie had at this point come in carrying the baby and sat down.  I clarified that I had the idea for many years and had not furthered it due to the political environment in Bluff and that Charlie has been (and will continue to be) chastised for offering my ideas without first asking my permission.  His excuse for it was inane at best but I suppose he had his ‘community board’ hat on at the time.  Pity he forgot about loyalty to ‘the missus’.  Ironic that I have no need for green waste because I deal with everything on site (I won’t call it composting because that involves layers and turning, my way is happenstance but suits me;-)

Unfortunately that’s all I can remember except for a Cr or two suggesting my ‘husband’ use the baby as a human shield:-)

Three Bin System – Inconsistent Decision

In my tidying I’ve come across a tabled document relating to the three bin system and that inconsistent decision that seemed to annoy Greenwood so much.

I Have A Dream

It involves the movers, shakers and doers getting together on regular basis and implementing some of the outstanding ideas there are in Bluff.

The likes of Andrew’s idea’s (forestry co-op and power generation) and another that’s been talked about is a Town Hall conversion (so we ACTUALLY benefit from it), from green waste down to hanging baskets.  Some resident relevant beautification and infrastructure.  Didn’t someone want steps to the beach?  The medical centre finally demolished the outbuildings.  Wouldn’t a community labour pool have been a great help?  Working bees based on one groups members don’t work but what if we had united community groups that helped each other out in return for help when they needed it?  A community takes work now with life being a faster, busier pace than 20 years.  Two working parents limits the involvement of people involved in school, ECE and sports group projects.  Without the volunteers, more money is needed.

Funding is getting harder to obtain but it’s no surprise.  Without communication between the groups they are, in effect, competing for funding.  Some more strategic applications in different funding rounds may improve our chances.  Shared services for photocopying,  administration etc.  A community website with a page for each group/project/event and an email newsletter.  As I said …I have a dream…

People aren’t connecting and many I know have tried to deal with the community board and walk away saying it was harder having them involved.  They don’t communicate effectively anyway.   Bluff Promotions seem to only focus on events and tourism and even though they have  many Bluff businesses as members, they struggle to have a quorum for meetings.  Maybe they need to be more proactive and communicate better too.  I wish they had communicated that they were putting in picnic tables before they laid the concrete.  I would have expressed that you don’t put picnic tables next to a grave so why put them next to a memorial honouring our fallen soldiers?  The seat was perfect, for contemplation and if you want to eat your fish and chips, so be it.  To attract people to eat next to a war memorial  annoys me.  Way to increase the bird shit, I hope they will ensure it’s tidy before each ANZAC day.  I digress…

…one day, maybe soon, next triennial elections should change things, we need to make sure we have enough people nominated so Stalin rule does not prevail:-)

Summer’s Here

The grass is dying in parts and only the annoying tap-rooted perennial weeds prevail (not for long though!).  I need to get on to connecting up to my grey water if I want my plants to prosper.  I could however be inconsiderate like some, who even now with a front page picture of a dried up river bed, choose to use a sprinkler!  That sort of arrogance annoys the f!#% out of me.  Those people are generally the same ones that dump their green waste in empty sections.  Dumping tree branches on overgrown sections increases the fire hazard…morons…and the maintenance problems I mentioned in another post.

Looking at the roadsides and overgrown sections, I would hope farmers starting asking to harvest it.  I doubt they’ll get much winter feed stored with a drought hitting.  I know bugger all about farming but I know some farmers who used to bale the roadside growth.  New year is usually when they bale but I assume they bale again before winter?  I doubt there will be much grass growing with so little rain.  They are a resourceful lot though.

The fish factories are probably starting up any day and the seagulls will be thankful!  Even though I’m only a few roads back from the harbour, I hardly ever get seagulls on my property but now the bread thrown out for the sparrows and the like bring on 20+ seagulls.  The worms haven’t got much work to do either as the seagulls must be spying on me and every time I empty the compost they appear within minutes.  The dog spends the rest of the afternoon defending the compost, not because he wants it, he just doesn’t want them to have it.  Whenever the factories shut down they appear so I assume a few more days and the dog can relax in the shade again.  No relaxing for me though, fences to fix and maybe build a chicken coop.

Enjoy the sun, cherish the rain (when it comes) and conserve water:-)

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.

 

 

Do you know what you’re doing?

When you casually dump your green waste on council reserves or empty sections you are NOT composting!

With Summer coming up, it’s time to have my eco rant, I usually raise it with people in casual conversation because believe it or not I don’t enjoy confrontation.

“I see people are dumping green waste…isn’t that annoying?”

“Why? It will rot down”

Then start I my tree branches don’t and they prevent council and land owners from maintaining the section.   If you moan about stepping in dog poo, have you stepped/slid on a pile of rotting grass cuttings?  Not too pleasant is it?  That tree branch is going to kill of annual grasses but don’t worry the couch and convolvulous will grow up and around and over it.  It will die off and now we have an ugly yellow/beige lump that’s a fire hazard, how is that ‘rotting down’?  Even when someone removes that mess (a council worker being paid for by the ratepayer) we are left with perennial grasses and weeds (dock, plantain, thistles and convolvulous) which are far from attractive and even if the section is mowed from now on those plants will send their roots outward since they are being prevented from growing upward (I secretly hope they end up coming under their fence).  Even a pile of grass cuttings has the same effect.  Only the shit perennial grasses and weeds will prevail!

Over the past 15 years I have noticed that the council reserve land which provides back access to the Blackwater St properties has become unmanageable for council.  They used to put the arm mower down the bank and I could never see the gorse, tree lupin and broom, that was confined to one clump.  The grasses did not reach extreme heights as council could access most of it with the tractor mower with arm attachment for banks.  The Suir/Gore Street corner had trees dumped and council couldn’t mow and so they got as close as they could but that prevented them mowing further in and that became  over-run and thick and uneven.  People dumped green waste down the bank and then the arm could no longer reach down and the gorse etc were able to grab hold and have now worked their way upward and poke their heads above the gully.  It’s now virtually impossible for the mower to navigate anything but a walking strip.  A few years ago one of the mower guys was waiting for himself and mower to be picked up and decided to fill in time having a go at tidying up.  His initiative ended up getting the tractor stuck because under all that overgrown grass was an enormous tree branch, nearly two hours later they got the tractor out.  He won’t put himself out for the Bluffies again will he?

So before you say it will rot down think outside of the box and consider what will really happen.  It’s not rocket science you know.  When this issue was suggested for the Bluff Board News our illustrious chairperson used the big stick approach.   An opportunity wasted, why not tell people why!  I can dictate to my children but I know they need to understand the reason why so the can process the impact, effects and consequences.  Telling them not to chase their ball across the road serves no purpose without them understanding that they may get run over.  I won’t be there to think for them forever and I gifted them incredible brains.  The least I can do is help them use them independently and to their fullest potential.