Council may scrap power line undergrounding project

December 18th, 2013
[by David Armstrong]

Motueka may not see the planned undergrounding of its power lines along the southern end of High Street, as Council considers scrapping that project from its Annual Plan to save money.

Several sources have told Motueka Online that an in-committee workshop of councillors decided to recommend to the full Council meeting tomorrow that this item on the 2013-14 annual plan be dropped, despite ratepayers already paying for it through our current rates. (Later comment: Council agreed to this recommendation.)

Cancelling the undergrounding would also put an end to work being planned locally to plant attractive trees along the southern approach of High Street to the town.

The suggestion has upset or even angered the power lines company Network Tasman who, along with the transport authority NZTA, had agreed on a partnership project and spent money and considerable time already in planning and consultation.

The Tasman District Council Annual Plan for 2013/14, the cost of which is the basis for the rates we are all paying now, includes $358,000 as Council's contribution to the undergrounding by Network Tasman of the power lines from the southern roundabout to Whakarewa Street.

There is nothing specifically allocated to future undergrounding projects until an item in the Long Term Plan which allocates $414,311 to "Power undergrounding projects" sometime between 2015 and 2022, though these could be anywhere in the district.

Therefore if the current project is halted there is the possibility that High Street south of Whakarewa Street could remain as plain and unsightly to incoming traffic as it at present for many years to come.

Keep Motueka Beautiful had allocated $4000 from its present budget to plant an avenue of trees along High Street up to Courtney Street after Network Tasman had completed its digging, and has spent much time in planning and consultation.

If the project is stopped, KMB's planned activities for the year will have to be reconsidered. Its committee met on Monday and resolved to seek clarification from Council managers on the matter and express its "dismay". KMB must spend the Council-approved parts of its budget within the financial year (by June 31) or risk losing it all.

Council has already decided to scrap any upgrading of the Motueka river stopbanks from the long term plan, and cutting yet another important Motueka project from their work is very disappointing, except for those people who want no rates money to be spent if at all possible in Motueka.

Comment by Andy:
[Posted 22 December 2013]

Well Motueka councillors, it's time to earn your money. As you make the long drive from the roundabout to the main shopping area of town cast your eyes up a little and observe the spiders web of cable. In my opinion this will make a difference to the perception of our town to visitors if we bury that mess.

To me the price seems right also, not to mention the difficulty of co-ordinating TDC, Network Tasman and Transit. Make it happen, almost as much has already been approved for an increase to corporate services' wage bill for the year!!!

Comment by Mark:
[Posted 22 December 2013, edited slightly to remove personal references]

The soon the whingers die in this town the better. What a bloody disgrace the power lines won't get done, if not now, it will be 10 years away. This needs to be an issue sorted now, for supply, looks and as the other two agencies had planned it and money set aside for it, and we have already paid for it, what a lot of wingers too in this council now it seems.

It's a similar story to Nelson and the Entertainment Center on 2010 - the wingers then stopped the project going ahead, and now this week two venues are closed, NSOM and Trafalgar Center. Why is this council appeasing to the minority?

Comment by Fred Van Kleef:
[Posted 28 December 2013]

It's amazing how much money goes towards Richmond where of course the headquarters are for the council. Great, I'm very pleased for Richmond but and a big but it is, how many tourist come and see Richmond?? On the other hand here in Motueka little bits and pieces are getting done or fixed with loads and loads of tourist wandering, eating or passing through.

So, do the power lines need to go underground to make it look a bit nicer as we and tourist alike drive into Motueka? Of course! Anything that will help to make Motueka more beautiful. It's about time TDC wakes up and smells the roses.

Comment by Coralie Smith:
[Posted 28 December 2013]

A woman who has lived in High Street most of her long life was telling me excitedly just recently that at long last the telephone poles were going to be taken down. We lived in High Street for many years too and were told over 30 years ago the poles will be going soon.

Come on TDC, don't disappoint us again. Improve the whole town by getting on with this job. It is the one street that should be done as nearly all visitors come along this route. Bring us into the 21st century not leave us in the 1950s.

Comment by Jim Butler:
[Posted 29 December 2013]

I am one of the whingers who is against any ratepayer money being spent on this cosmetic power-line undergrounding, while there are still more dangerous footpaths in Motueka in need of urgent repair.

Over the last ten or more years our Council has been spending on average about 10% more than its income each year, making up the difference in borrowing, mostly by 20 year loans. At the present 5% rate, over 20 years the interest paid equals the sum borrowed. Now we have reached the stage where hundreds of dollars in every rate demand is required to meet interest payments.

However, we electors have continued to elect councils who continue to borrow, resulting in ever-more money required for interest payments and less money available for works. So what Council now considers are non essential works, get dropped. Like the undergrounding of power lines and the Motueka River stop-banks.

The stop-bank issue is particularly painful for Motueka Ward ratepayers. Council took out a $632,000, 20-year loan to cover the cost of an investigation into the reconstruction requirement of the Motueka River stop-banks. This cost was spent on consultants and Council staff based in the Richmond area. Though no work will now proceed, the $632,000 loan, plus the interest on it, which over 20 years at 5% will equal $632,000, is all to be paid for by Motueka Ward ratepayers by a targeted rate. This amount of money would cover Council's requirement for undergrounding of the power lines twice over.

Worse still, in my opinion, is because so many of Council staff are based in Richmond, including all the highly paid ones, the staff based there receive about three quarters of Council's wages bill. Therefore I estimate these staff spend in the Richmond area, between $5 million and $10 million a year of Motueka Ward ratepayers' money. This amount of money would not only cover the underground of power lines, but also pay off the $632,000 loan and fix many of Motueka's most dangerous footpaths as well.

Comment by Malcolm Garrett:
[Posted 30 December 2013]

For goodness sake! How short-sighted and Richmond-orientated can this council get! With all that planning already underway, and a schedule of works completed - including the planting programme after it is all complete. Get to it you local councillors and stop this silly abandonment of a very worthwhile project.

Stand firm and demand that the project, already costed and requiring a lot of coordinated work, proceed as planned. The local community board had better make a fuss as well. The streams of traffic passsing through our High Street this last week has been just amazing, as many locals and visitors have commented to me. And Merry Christmas to the Naysayers as well!

>> , to be added to the page. [If this link doesn't work, use this form instead]

[ Return ]
[ Other news articles ]

We wish to thank these local community-minded businesses who generously sponsor our site. They recognise the value of supporting this community asset, and in return Motueka Online is pleased to use and recommend their services whenever appropriate.

Ray White Motueka, Motueka Floral Studio, Nelson Building Society, House of Travel,
Greenwood Active Health, Lynette Mytton,