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TokomaruStore &

TakeawaysOrders welcome. Ph 329 8711

Steamed Up is a free monthlyindependent newsletter for theMiranui Ward and Tokomaru

community. Our aim in this special edition isto inform the public about electoral issues

in the Horowhenua District.Christine.toms@xtra.co.nz. Ph 329 8081

After 18 years at the helm, how does longtime and incumbentmayor Brendan Duffy see his legacy in the HorowhenuaDistrict?

To know that I am the Mayor who has delivered a variety of projects across the District. I have an appreciation of the challenges we need tofulfill in the rural and urban sectors and I have a vision to continue to grow ourDistrict so that it can be enjoyed by us all. The focus of this Council has been todevelop systems that we as a community can enjoy; at the same time developing aprogramme to rebuild our infrastructure services above ground. The problem is thatnobody really wants to pay for it! For too long we have held off, but now it is impera-tive we concentrate on going ahead.

A major town drinking water upgrade is under way in Shannon and the new wastewater treatment also attracted subsidies from Central Government. At a cost of $9mfor the latter, this replaces the treated human effluent previously pumped year-round into the river. So why is Tokomarus town supply drinking water on the back-burner, with a 12-year boil-water notice still in effect?

Because Tokomaru is such a small community and due to the affordability it iswell down the priority list. We are hoping to secure Government funding toenhance that programme, but we cannot say that will happen overnight. Brendansays the major implementation of harmonization a few years ago has taken infra-structure burdens across the District, so that small communities dont have to meettheir own costs. He says the next term is very exciting with all the background workdone in this Council. Resource consent applications are in and being processed.

During this phase we are planning for the next 100 years. It has got to be doneright. I have thoroughly enjoyed this term. We have a much more positive attitudeand we are rightly proud of our achievements.

Meet your Miranui Ward mayoral and councillor candidates.Tokomaru: Sunday 8 September 2pm at the Tokomaru Hall.

Shannon: Thursday 12 September 7pm at the Senior Citizens Hall, Finn Street.Organised by the HDRRAI.

HDC: the next 100 years

Brendan Duffy

Steamed Up Aug us t 2013

Issue 2Featuring Miranui Ward

CANDIDATES COMMENTS

Newly nominated councillor-candidate Ross Campbell is justifiably cheesed off that the Miranui Ward is being milkeddry. The Shannon businessman, Industrial Chaplain andchairman of Tourism Horowhenua has had his fair share of confrontation with the Horowhenua District mayor and a few councillors; including overwhat he sees as their blatant disregard for people in the Miranui Ward. His Chaplaincyhas also brought him into contact with the immediate community and its spiritual well-

being. He says a local elderly man in his 90s recently found himself in hospital with aheart attack he attributed to a senior Horowhenua District officials abusive behaviour.So incensed was Ross by this callous treatment, that he erected a bill-board on atrailer parked inside his grounds proclaiming the official was a bully.

The well-known Owlcatraz owner and family man, including three children and nowseven grandchildren, grew up on a regular dairy farm in Shannon. F rom the age of 12he milked cows before and after school, eventually going share milking on a farm inOpiki and ultimately owning it for 20 years. But the next pursuit in the lives of Ross andwife J anette was his love of birds, namely owls. I always wanted to further my interestin owls. J anette and I have always worked well together and we thought wed see if wecould make an income from this property, Ross says, speaking at the 36 acres of parkland within the Shannon town boundaries which the couple has managed with staff and volunteers for the past 16 years.

Ross says the Miranui Ward has one of the highest rate-takes in the HorowhenuaDistrict, but is the least advantaged in upgrades and services. He maintains farms andlifestyle blocks in his Ward have subsidised the HDC mayors pet projects particularlythe $12m new Council building and social niceties in Levin and surrounding town-ships. The service settlements of Tokomaru, Mangaore, Shannon and Opiki havebeen abandoned in infrastructure upgrades over the last decade. Miranui is theDistricts cash cow! People here are pretty up tight about their rates. It is the most over-rated and under-funded Ward in the whole of the District. Someone has to step up andbe counted, says an indignant Ross Campbell. He believes a complete turnaroundand a new mayor with a fresh outlook for the Horowhenua District is needed, to inject avital recovery plan and optimism in the immediate future for the long term good.

MIRANUI CASH COWMILKED

Janette andRoss Campbell

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NICE-to-HAVE BLOW OUTS FAIL BASIC NEEDS

Mayoral candidate and incumbent councillor Anne Hunt says sheknew when the mayor and councillors received the water andwastewater reviews during November 2011, it was clear there wasno way the ratepayers would be able to afford the cost of bringingthese basic services up to standard. With five water supplies out of five holding an E(unacceptable level of risk) grading, this would cost $43.7m to fix. Plus the cost of wastewater, because all bar one of the HDCs seven resource consents would beexpired within the next five years. Shannons expired in 2001, with Levin andWaiterere schemes also out of date. $139.2m in total!

Anne advises that consultants warned Council there had been no significantupgrading expenditure over decades and HDC is having to upgrade all of itssystems within a short time frame. So how did Council solve this problem?

Quite simple, really, she says. Council announced in its 2012-22 Long Term Plan,that it had taken the approach that a 20 year period is more appropriate for ourinfrastructural investment programme than a ten year period. In other words,projects such as upgrading Tokomarus water slipped off the radar and thereforeresidents have finally discovered that they will have to boil their water until 2025.

The mayoral candidate says this is totally unacceptable, and that no resident in thisDistrict should have to wait that long to get safe drinking water.

The current Council has been happy enough to spend money on nice-to-haveprojects, so that they all gather round for a highly-ranked politician to cut a ribbon andpraise Council for being progressive. In the meantime, Tokomaru residents are at riskbecause Council has failed to provide a basic service. Anne Hunt admits there will besome tough times ahead, but arrangements for Tokomaru residents to be able todrink water from a tap must be top priority.

Hall rates possibly rebatedHDC councillor and mayoral candidate Anne Hunt (right) told

a Tokomaru audience that their public hall is in better shapethan she was led to believe. (Back left) Hall committee AnneCandy, Gail and Kevin Russell and cr Robbie Shaw also fielded questions from thefloor about the 1907 built Tokomaru Hall. Over 60 people gathered on 13 August,deciding by 41-11 votes that their hall should remain in Tokomaru. Cr Anne Huntlater said Tokomaru hall may qualify for a hall rates rebate, similar to Foxton Beachhall and others in the HDC.

Dont forget to tick and stick! Have your say in the Local Authority Elections postal vote.

20 September to 12 October.

Ann e Hunt

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Vintage car and self confessed heavy machinery enthusiastRobbie Shaw last week threw his hat into the Local Authority Election ring for the fifthtime as a councillor, having already spent 12 years in office serving the Miranui Ward.Shannons population of 1500 had a recent town supply water upgrade coup with $2.9m

input from the Government. Ironically, Shannon will now have the only A-grade water inthe entire District! Robbie believes the northern end of the District, Opiki and Tokomaru,slides off the radar when it comes to commitment to services.

They feel theyve been left out. But Tokomarus Community Association is now avoice to take their concerns to Council, Robbie says. He believes Shannonsneighbouring Village is entitled to an immediate water upgrade. It wont take much toput in a new treatment plant. We could just about do it tomorrow, he says from hishome in Shannon bordering the river, where he runs cattle on 52 acres and operates asmall quarry.

Growing up in Nelson, Robbie moved first to Opiki as a contractor and then Shannon20 years ago. The Miranui Ward farmer and his wife Noeline have six children and 13grandchildren between them. Noeline with the Horowhenua Floral Art Club is currently

completing her judging qualifications at Manawatu Area floral art. Robbie believes workwould have been more cost-effective and efficient with a variety of local contractors inthe Horowhenua District rather than the increasing consultancies. He would like to havethe opportunity for another term in office to see the vital infrastructure work completed.

But consultancies and drinking water isnt all thats keeping the HDC councillor awakeat nights. Treated human sewage sprayed onto a Shannon farm land may appear to bean easy solution to dire waste water problems. But the unknown in potential humanwaste risk is already causing him some concern. We have got to be careful, to protectour Region, Robbie says.

Size doesnt matter The petition on behalf of the Water Action Group to the

Prime Minister and Ministers of Health and Local Governmentasking for help to address Tokomarus decade long boil-waternotice was vandalised last month. However, the remainingsignatures and a few more amounting to 56 (estimated 100+) were presented to sittingLabour MP Iain Lees-Galloway by Sarah Capper and Christine Toms on 18 August athis offices in Palmerston North. The petition was tabled in Parliament on 21 Augustand read (televised) in the House of Representatives on 22 August. It is scheduled fora Select Committee hearing. Thank you to everyone who participated. Y our voiceshave now been heard. We will keep you posted regarding the outcome.

Big wheels keepCouncil turning

Above: Sarah Capper, Labour MP Ian Lees-Galloway and Christine Toms

Noeline andRobbie Shaw