And The Big Question Is…

Should Jan Mitchell still hold the position of Chair while the defamation charges she instigated have not been resolved?

Today’s comment in the paper implies that the situation is ongoing.  If that’s the case, is it appropriate for her to be the one to control Board meetings and be the public face of the Board.

In a small town, most definitely not but anywhere else a person would be required to step down until resolved.

Will people come to the Board?  I doubt it.  Hasn’t her actions just excluded the community from the community board? Yes.

The board members decide who the Chair is, surely it’s time they raised the question ‘should the more independent Cr Lewis do the job in the interests of the community?’

I would hope the CEO took on his advisory role to the board and make the suggestion.

What a farce!

Cracker’s Quiet

The Mighty Blue supporter hasn’t had anything to say on this from today’s Southland Times

Bluff and Riverton remained unbeaten after four rounds of the division two rugby competition, following Star’s shock loss to Collegiate on Saturday.

Pioneer were also unbeaten after three rounds, having the bye on Saturday.

Bluff looked every inch winners with an authoritative 24-3 defeat of hosts Blues in Invercargill.

The big and efficient port pack repeatedly wheeled and marched back the Blues to disrupt their possession at scrum time.

Despite the heavy penalty count against them, Bluff always commanded an edge over Blues, who did not yield lightly but managed only a sole penalty to Bluff’s four tries.

Coach Jason Harrison said the need to lay a solid platform up front would remain a priority for Bluff, who should improve fitness, particularly their big forwards, who were effectively used to hit up early ball and seriously test Blues’ defence.

Harrison identified busy blindside flanker Dom Rikiti and sparkling first five-eighth Jason Kennedy as worthy Bluff contributors.

Blues coach Duncan Waite praised prop Richard Cournane and snappy halfback Brennan Sutherland for their roles.

“We have to work on our lineout, secure more possession at breakdowns and make better first-up tackles to remain competitive,” Waite said.

Clever Bastards

 

And an ingenious one for night time

 

What Does Consultation Look Like?

Cracker has raised “Consultation as a foreign concept continues at Rugby Park.”  My recent paperwork sorting has had me come across this again:

So if you read this, would you think the decision has been made or it was proposed?  BTW under the ‘vivid’ is the same model, I only blacked it out so it is not known where it is from.  Envisage it with anything you want… ‘Proposal to change the service to donkey riding…. This paper is written to give the reasons for our decision to ride donkeys‘

I’ll fill in the blanks tomorrow…brownie points if you can guess what the proposal is…

The big question is…Is this consultation?

How Do You Count Traffic Signals?

Are they counted as singles, pairs, sets?  How many in a set?  Is an intersection one set?

Page 76 (section 5) of the unaudited LTP lists ICC as having 15 Traffic Signals.  It doesn’t sound like many and especially when you hit every red.

More Important Things To Attend To In Bluff

Can’t say I agree with this but I knew it would happen.  The Bluff Community Charitable Trust and Bluff Community Board relationship is so close that I knew it would happen.  The chairperson is always trying to keep councils happy that I even made the prediction when I saw it on the agenda last year.  From the BCB Chairperson’s report:

I believe that if John Key wants to build a cycleway, HE should find the funding.  This great idea of his has put pressure on towns all over the country.  I think it’s a nice idea but Bluff has a pool that is still in need of funding and an upcoming Urban Renewal along with the losses being made on the Town Hall (as it sits idle) even though the ratepayers of Bluff  contribute about $8k per annum.

The Bluff Community Charitable Trust was set up ‘as a vehicle to obtain funding’  but it is only helping with certain pet projects.  I find it offensive to use the Bluff Community name without including or providing any benefit to the community.

We have a hill that has been vandalised by the council and even DOC say it will be 20+ years before it looks good (or even halfway decent) but ‘our’ Trust with three of ‘our’ Board members appointed to it are going to take take funding from other worthy, more immediate causes to help tourism.  How about helping the Bluffies?

We have a minimum of three groups putting time, effort and funding into ensuring Bluff Hill has a better future than what council planned (or didn’t plan).  St Teresa’s, Bluff School and Bluff Hill/Motupohue Environment Trust are all working away at what looks to be a daunting task and BCCT are off building tracks for ES.

Better ways to help our town without starting another project to entice people to a rundown town.  Of course that’s just my view.  It seems I’m still talking to myself and Bluffies, it seems, are just voyeurs (100+ a day watching but not getting involved).

Feel free to make comment:-)

Have You Got Protection?

Bluff may very soon have none.

Cr Boniface and Bluff Community Board are at the meeting discussing Urban Renewal and Derelict Houses are also on the agenda so it seems apt to mention this.

One of the things I’d been meaning to follow up on was the NZ Historic Places Trust Register.  Being the longest continuously settled European town in New Zealand you would expect us to have some buildings on the register.  I have heard many times that the issues surrounding the Club Hotel and it’s condition are hampered by NZHPT registration.  That won’t be the case for long…what then I wonder?

Under Section  74 (2)(b) of the Resource Management Act, all councils when creating and reviewing their District Plans, must consider the Register.

We all seem to have the misconception that the Register protects a building or landmark.  The reality is that the District Plan provides the protection after considering the register.  ICC have begun their review of the District Plan and when they check the register they are going to find Club Hotel is NOT a Category 2 listed building.

I know the sign says it has registration but I was looking on the Register and it wasn’t there.  I finally got around to making inquiries.

Here is the response:

The Club Hotel in Bluff was thought to have been registered as a Category 2 historic place. However, some of these early registrations were not properly completed at the time and are now described as ‘deficient’. Therefore Club Hotel cannot, regrettably, be regarded as registered.

The reply also pointed out that there are no buildings in Bluff registered.

What’s the ramification of this?  Hard to know but it could mean the owner would be free to maintain, upgrade, repair or demolish the building unhindered.

If the owner has been using the registration as an excuse to do nothing, the removal of that protection allows council to force the owner to maintain the building.  Without knowing the mindset of the owner it’s hard to know.  There are economic benefits to NZHPT registration and the removal of those may force drastic action.  Who knows?

One thing this reiterates to me is ‘don’t believe everything you read’ and ‘do your own research’ and continue to follow up.  I won’t be forgetting that if we don’t rezone it will big business (industry) that has the capital to fund demolition and rebuilding of such a large site.  I doubt any cottage industries could repair and reopen the Club.  I can’t see it reopening as a pub or accommodation…such a significant feature on our main street…what’s it’s future?

Are We Actually Southern Rednecks?

I mentioned in another post about the redneck nature of some people with regard to their narrow minded views but after a visit to the garage I’m beginning to wonder if we are actually southern rednecks in the southern USA way!

As I was getting back into the car after fueling up, I found this on the forecourt

Are there cars with bullets rolling around in the foot well that they spill out when the ‘good ol’ southern boy’ exits the car? I find it a strange object to accidentally drop on a forecourt.  Do we have people driving around with bullets (and gun?) in their cars?  I should be thankful it wasn’t a shotgun shell I suppose!

NB: I know nothing about such things and am assuming it’s a bullet.  Maybe someone can enlighten me?

While You’re Talking Retrospective Resource Consents…

I am curious what instigated this retrospective resource consent?  Are the having a paperwork tidy up?  That hazchem is over on the wharf, not easily accessed by the general population.  For me the big question is, will they be taking the blinders off and making Ravensdown’s activities on our main street get resource consent?

There are no resource consents for a change of activity or the breach of the District Plan rules for storing over 5,000kg of Hazchem.  Without considering the non compliance with regards to the condition of the Shaw Savill building and the leakage of product from the other two sheds and the impact of the activity on our streets, Ravensdown are non compliant with the District Plan, resource consent is required!

I received this statement from Rodney Green, CEO of Ravensdown

In all the communities with a Ravensdown presence, we comply with the stated relevant zoning regulations and, as a farmer-owned co-operative, we work hard to make a positive contribution to those neighbourhoods.

Well, that statement is easily dis-spelled (what a crock).

Our community board chairperson has met with and has been involved with the shipping gangs pre-unload meetings (BTW, do Ravensdown provide funding to any of the groups she’s involved in? Yes, I’m told.  Any other groups?  Not to my knowledge).

The community board has been informed of plans to replace the Shaw Savill building (and include the two residential properties they purchased).  Have we been informed?  No, but the chairperson has said “everyone is excited about the new build”.  The general population haven’t been informed so how can they be excited?

When I discuss it with people, the response is usually “suppose it would be better than what they’ve got”.  That conversation needs to be continued though, the increased storage space (three times more Urea – and trucks), the access way, possibly off Liffey Street) WTF?  Not ‘excited’ once the actual facts and impacts are expressed, more half truths from the chairperson I would say.

That will improve traffic flow! Not.

Rodney Green continues

The Board of Directors did indeed conduct a scheduled review of the situation at its last Board meeting on 6 December. There are several options for our operations in Bluff which are currently under consideration by the leadership team.

As we have done successfully for many years, please be assured we will be working with the Bluff Community Board, Invercargill Council and Environment Southland as we evaluate these options.  We will do our part to try and ensure this collaboration can take place at speed.  If all those interactions go to schedule, we expect to be in a position to communicate with residents about the preferred options by March 2012.

This will provide greater long-term certainty for all parties, so we can all move forward with confidence.

Yeah right!  Whatever…

As we have done successfully for many years, please be assured we will be working with the Bluff Community Board, Invercargill Council and Environment Southland.

The only effective (and transparent) group out of those three is ES.  The only successes from working with ICC and BCB are successes for Ravensdown as those groups either ignore Ravensdown’s breaches or be part of walking all over the needs of the Bluff residents.  Our council and board are obviously patsies to big business, forgot who elected you AGAIN?

I doubt that Ravensdown will be asking for feedback from residents in March 2012 for the new build but being as it’s on a state highway, Transit will be involved…there will be consultation from them I’d say.  Transit are blessed with not only the responsibility to oversee State Highways but also intersections adjoining State Highways:-)

Unless they are building an identical building, our council may have to go through the resource consent process for some part of the build, if so, I suggest they ensure it is publicly notified…otherwise…ever heard of civil disobedience?

And my message for Ravensdown, if this statement is true “we work hard to make a positive contribution to those neighbourhoods.“  How about working hard on siting your activities either on the Island Harbour, Ocean Beach or Awarua?

More Money and Resources For The Youth?

The Youth in Local Government Leadership Conference will be an exciting event, and our region is pleased to be hosting it. 

The conference will provide the opportunity for those working in local government to develop stronger links with young people, to build networks and discuss issues. It will also provide a place to share knowledge, listen to speakers and remind us that we all have an important part to play in growing active citizens.

The Youth in Local Government Leadership Conference is relevant to young people, Mayors, Councillors and representatives from local councils such as policy makers, youth advocates and those working in community development teams and in other arenas with the aim of creating vibrant cities full of youth participation. 

 Topics during the conference will include:

 Leadership and Communication Skills

Youth Engagement / Youth Development

Youth Connections, Reframing Our Future

Youth Specific Workshops – Capacity Buidling for Youth Audience

I have no problem with them supporting youth and all that but it seems they provide more opportunities, involvement and resources (and funding?)  for the youth in our communities than our actual communities.   Bluff gets a targeted rate to ‘be represented’ but most of that is grants to groups the Board have a hand in.  Suppose you get what you pay for, pay peanuts, get monkeys.  Who is paying to host this youth conference?  Being as youth aren’t usually ratepayers, it won’t be a targeted rate.