The ideas stolen from my blog and circulated by others as their own are becoming more evident too.  I don’t really care though because if the sharing of information helps things progress then so be it.  Reader’s of my blog know where it came from anyway and the person stealing the ideas loses face in the community and shows the type of person they really are.  A win-win for me really:-)

Today has some relevance to me so I feel it is time to be a little more transparent and share some information.  No-one has had the gumption to publicly ask me who Carole is but privately there have been many inquiries.

I’m happy to admit that the email address submitted with the comment is easily obtained and could be inappropriately used.  I’m well aware that it is probably someone trying to wind me up or ‘trap me’.  I’m also aware that the email address is owned by two people.

If I make the assumption that is validly submitted by one of the owners then I would assume it is the man of the house (…and then the fight started!)  If it is the female owner, it reiterates my view that she may be delusional because it makes no sense to publicly express support for me.

If it is a supporter/friend of the owners then I would question the friendship if they see fit to use your email address without permission and in such a way?

It’s also possible that is not a supporter of the owner but someone who just dislikes me.  Still not a very good ‘trap’ or ‘wind up’.  The author of that failed report might consider it though.  If you can waste time and ink printing the opinions of a resident (my blog) and articles from the Southland Times (whom you kept contacting) and NOT submit a resolution or motion of censure to support it then I expect nothing of any substance.

Meanwhile the email address submitted with Carole’s comment was that of the seconder of the inept failed Notice Of Motion/ report/ranting and  Chairperson of the Bluff Community Board.

Changes to local government appear to be on the way, with Prime Minister John Key confirming Cabinet will be looking at the issue.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon, Mr Key said there would be proposed changes about how local bodies operated, and the Government would be speaking to the sector.

Local Government Minister Nick Smith had raised concerns specifically about the compound nature of rate rises over the seven or eight years, and Mr Key said the Government wanted to ensure things were running as efficiently as possible.

Mr Key would not specify what changes were on the cards, saying the proposals were yet to be finalised.

However, asked whether there might be further amalgamations of councils, Mr Key indicated it could be up for consideration.

“We won’t force amalgamation, but we do think amalgamation in Auckland has been successful.”

Can’t say I think Central Government are the ones to be advising anyone on anything but as the Workboot Councillor said ‘if the Councils are still responsible for their own debt, what’s to be gained?’.

Do Central Government not realise when they put up GST, it puts up the costs on EVERYTHING which in turn is reflected in rates along with EVERYTHING else?

I’ve checked my emails and I was informed on the 29th of January.  That’s a long time before the paper managed to get hold of it.  I really thought that would get around like wildfire.

Keeping in mind the ‘savings’ made on the rates increase was only $1M and $400k came from good old parks and resulted in reduced service.  I don’t call that making savings, it’s just cutting works.

Wayne Harpur would be happy and Gore would be history but I’m not sure it’s the best plan.  Our council can’t handle one community board let alone dealing with all the different issues a wide spread rural community has to deal with and from what I’ve heard SDC have targeted rates for many things (one day I’ll check).  If Bluff had their new water system costs put across just the Bluff ratepayers, our rates would be horrendous.  In some ways we are fortunate.

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 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:-)

“Thanks to the Bluff Community Charitable Trust for allowing us use of the council chambers and former library for the sale.”

For the non resident readers, the ‘council chambers and former library’ are part of the Town Hall complex that ICC fobbed off to us for $1 as part of the Bluff Service Centre/Kiwibank/Lotto Shop/Post Shop/trinket shop move.  The Trust (three community board members and three others) that has legal ownership ‘asked’ the Board who ‘recommended’  to Council for a Targeted Rate to cover costs of the Town Hall.

Allowing use?  It was ‘gifted to the Bluff community’ NOT Bluff Community Charitable Trust!  The statement also implies it was use, without cost.  I have been told of many groups that don’t use it because it is cost prohibitive but this thanks seems to imply different for Bluff Promotions, doesn’t it?

Let’s not forget that the Chairman of Bluff Promotions penning the notice is a trustee of the Bluff Community Charitable Trust.

Perception is that rules apply differently for some.

Well thanks to nine councillors it was a waste of my time and fuel.  I noted when I entered that they were not available, I went to question Alan Swallow to see if he knew anything when a staffer passed by carrying a wad of them.  Before I even considered who I should ask for a copy, Cr Kruger (Chair) suggested moving the working draft into Public Excluded.  Sadly, I was not at all surprised.

Cr Abbott of course, says ‘I don’t want to be difficult’ (or something to that effect) and they all laugh!  He then points out that he doesn’t support having it in PE and surprisingly Cr Lewis (good job) supports Abbott’s view and even Cr Boniface votes against the motion…I am impressed!  Abbott – I expect to represent the true views of residents.  Lewis – finally getting a voice and Boniface doesn’t seem to be warming the seat.  A+ for all three.

The others don’t deserve response from me because Cr Kruger had the gall to say ‘thank you to the Crs the moved it into the public excluded portion of the meeting’.  Did you suppress the desire to give the other three the fingers?  Sure seemed like it.

We will seemingly be allowed to see it March 20 (possibly earlier at a Finance and Policy meeting).  Elder of course had to add that it was about preventing misinformation.  Yeah right!

And the reason for PE….drum roll please….negotiations!  Between staff and elected members?

In light of this post, I find a comment in this tabled report (Vacant and potentially dangerous buildings) interesting.  Needless to say I have forwarded the Historic Places Trust email to Simon Tonkin (the author of the report).

I don’t know who’s it is, if it’s still being updated or what but it has some interesting pictures and information including passenger lists and ships that brought Bluff’s early settlers.

Well worth a look