From 3pm on Tuesday 27th May, Waikato Mayor Allan Sanson, councillors and staff settled into the Raglan Bowling Club to hear submissions on the Waikato Council’s draft annual plan. Several submitters attended the chilly club rooms to have their say on everything from poor maintenance of gravel roads, to excessive rate increases and the Government’s Trans Pacific Partnership.
A request for an extra track to Mount Karioi was made by John Lawson. He proposed that this could be done at minimal cost on an existing paper road. During John’s presentation, Mayor Sanson said he was surprised to learn that there was a track to the top of Mount Karioi. While Mayor Sanson is often spotted at Raglan Wharf having fish ‘n chips it seems that there is more for him to learn about the area.
Dave Currie from the Waikato Enterprise Agency asked for the Raglan town bus stop route to be changed so there was a bus stop by the public toilets in Joyce Petchell Park. They offered to keep the Raglan i-SITE open in line with bus arrival times so travellers could arrange accommodation on arrival from the bus. Dave commented on the Raglan Chamber of Commerce’s successful partnership with the Council providing the Sunday bus service. 900 passengers had been carried across the 62 Sundays the service had run.
Dave also asked for a $20K grant for a mountain bike track in the Wainui Reserve.
Aaron Moar from Raglan Community Radio asked for a grant to buy new computers for the station and for marketing of the station’s 25th anniversary. Joan Havemann spoke supporting Xtreme Waste and warning the councillors about the implications of the Trans Pacific Partnership. Rodger Gallagher highlighted the 5% overall rates increase for Raglan as well above the 1.3% cost of living movement. Speaking for the Raglan Arts Council he asked for a grant to cover the Waikato council’s rates bill.
Community Board member Matt Holl wanted the LTP to be on a 3 year cycle and not a 5 year cycle. He also asked for more parking around Raglan. Community Board member Bob McLeod spoke about bilingual signs, having a targeted rate just for the Raglan water supply, a targeted rate for Raglan rural roads, publishing the Raglan Civil Defence Plan, removing the water meter policy for Raglan and supporting water tanks.
The councillors seemed to be most interested in a proposal from CEO Gavin Ion to hire another senior communications person at a cost of about $90,000. In a discussion that took over half an hour, a number of councillors spoke against the proposal and some for it. In the end eight voted for it and none voted against it. The CEO also asked for budget to hire another senior building inspector. This was approved.