Community Board agrees on special project options

September 9th, 2016
[by David Armstrong]

The Community Board used the final meeting of its three-year term to agree on the list of special local projects which will be put out to the community for consultation.

The meeting on Tuesday was relatively jovial, and included words of thanks for departing members and best wishes to those standing for the upcoming local body elections.

Three community groups also received money from the Board's discretionary fund for projects they are undertaking, with one of them receiving more than they asked for.

The Motueka High School cheer team was granted the maximum $500 to help them purchase 20 uniform tops which they would use at the National cheerleading competitions.

Recently the team of students, both male and female, took third place in a smaller competition in Wellington, and the team of 27 will be the only one from the South Island at the nationals.

Project De-Vine's application for $500 to purchase Glyphosate gel to control Old Man's Beard and Banana Passion Vines in the local area was also successful.

The project started out as a local weed busting group but now has over 300 volunteer hours completed to date clearing plants from the Takaka Hill to Riwaka and Marahau.

The Motueka District Neighbourhood Support Society applied for $200 to cover advertising, catering and other expenses for their AGM.

Board members said the work done by this group, which supports the work of the Motueka police particularly in Neighbourhood Watch, was of sufficient value as to raise the grant to $300.

Much of the work of the Board meeting was to decide on the list of "special projects", funded from the local $10 targeted rate, that would be offered to residents to list in priority order.

The fund now stands at $97,000, with most of last year's pot carried over due to incomplete (or non-starting) projects from 2015 - 16.

The proposed list (see our earlier story) had been given to Council staff for comment. Two in particular had come back for further consideration - the Litter Cart operation and security camera upgrades.

Council staff said both of these could not be paid out of the Community Board rate under the current policy criteria. Any change in policy would have to be recommended by the incoming Community Board and put to full Council for approval.

Chairman Paul Hawkes said nevertheless he wanted the complete list to be put out to the community for consultation and voting as soon as possible, including these two items. If the Council policy remains in place, the items could then be removed if necessary, regardless of community opinion.

In a split decision, the Board voted in accordance with Paul's suggestion. The "special projects" list will be finalised and notified to the Motueka community (including on this website) within the next couple of weeks. Projects included will be:

- Upgrade of the saltwater baths floodgate
- Further upgrade of the CBD security camera network
- Installation of air conditioning in the Motueka Museum
- A new welcome sign to Motueka on College Road near the airport
- Kerb and channel along the eastern part of Old Wharf Road
- A footpath on the northern side of Wallace Street
- A footpath on the southern side of Courtney Street
- Two projects at Marahau Beach
- Contribution to the litter cart operation
- A drink bottle fill point on high Street
- Contribution to redevelopment of the Port Motueka entrance area.

The meeting concluded with Mayor Richard Kempthorne thanking the board for their work over the past three years, and Paul Hawkes thanking the Mayor, Mike Drummond and Lindsay McKenzie (TDC CEO) for their help and advice.

Outgoing board member Cliff Satherley praised the work of the Board during his six years in office, and departing Councillor Jack Inglis also commented on the difficulty faced by the Community Board as it tried to make decisions while not having the funds to carry them out.

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