May 10: Raglan Community Board meeting

The next Raglan Community Board meeting is on Tuesday 10th May at 2pm in the Town Hall Supper Room. The public forum starts at 1.30pm, giving an opportunity to discuss issues.

The agenda includes –

1. Marine Parade Wastewater Overflow report – a pump station alarm alerted staff to the overflow at 7.45pm. An estimated 30m³ entered the Harbour before containment within an hour. WDC and WRC are investigating. Recent CCTV has confirmed above average condition of the sewage pipes. There were “concerns with Resource Consent compliance for both suspended solids and pathogens, however recent work undertaken has addressed both these matters, to a degree.”

2. Visitor Impact workshop – report back on 12 April workshop – “we look forward to working with you on these issues in the near future”.

3. Annual Plan summary of projects included with rates notices.

4. Water – discussion around Ashburton District bottled water sale and water conservation.

5. Draft Plaques, Memorials and Monuments Policy – RCB asked for comment on a policy to regulate where and what memorials can be placed. Trees only for dignitaries, civic, or historic occasions and only in grassed areas.

6. Wainui Rd to Karioi track – engagement with landowners still about to commence (as it was in February).

7. Coastal Reserves minutes of 15 February and 14 March meetings, but not 11 April. Volunteer minutes secretary needed. Speed hump on Wainui Reserve access planned.

8. Verbal reports on Board and Stakeholder Relationships, CBD plan, Civil Defence, Cultural Liaison, Placemaking and Communications.

9. Discretionary fund has $15,026. Raglan Creative wants $2,830 for youth art workshops, Museum $4,087.83 for “Back to School” exhibition and Environment Centre $5,548.75 for Plastic Free Raglan.

You can contact the Community Board members about agenda items:-

Alan Vink alan.vink@slingshot.co.nz;

Bob MacLeod 2louds@paradise.net.nz;

Boyd Turongo Dixon 021 299 2203;

Clint Baddeley jcbaddeley@xtra.co.nz ;

Kelly Clarkson kellymoanaclarkson@gmail.com;

Lisa Thomson lisa.rose.thomson1@gmail.com

PJ Haworth peterjohnhaworth@gmail.com

The Infrastructure Committee meets on the morning of the RCB meeting. Their agenda includes –

1. Town Hall committee new terms of reference include public election of members.

2. Manu Bay & Puriri Park seawalls extra costs of stone and cement added $35,280 and $8,664 to replacement estimates.

3. Te Mata Roadshow – report on public meeting about road repairs.

Council meets on 9 May with code of conduct, councillors pay and Hamilton Founders Theatre on its agenda.

Land Transport Strategy – consultation makes no specific mention of improvements to Raglan’s bus. Submissions can be made until 27 May.

There are also deadlines for submissions to several other WDC plans –

Fri 20 May – Reserves and Beaches and Cemeteries Bylaws

Mon 23 – Trade Waste and Wastewater Bylaw

Fri 27 – Freedom Camping Bylaw

Mon 30 – Walking, Cycling and Bridle Trails Strategy

Fri 24 June – Neighbourhood Parks Reserves Management Plan

Should WED be taking up these, or any other issues? There’s no mention of items previously left unresolved, such as TPPA, or Digital Enablement Plan. Nor does it mention issues such as the fencing around the Norfolk Pines, or further delay in the Nihinihi Ave sewage tank completion.

Do you think you could do better? Local election nominations are in July and elections in Sep/Oct; in the last two elections WDC has had the lowest voter turnout in the country, so you could win by getting the third who vote in parliamentary elections (but not local elections) voting for you!