‘Impatience’ over Westport comment
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon
Two Westport-based West Coast Regional Council representatives have expressed "impatience" at ratepayer criticism of the council's role in protecting the town from future flooding events.
Both Buller representatives have instead paid tribute to the behind the scenes scramble by the regional council to seal the business case for the proposed $26 million Westport flood scheme.
At this week's council meeting, Cr Laura Coll-McLaughlin queried the state of the tender documentation for urgent retrospective maintenance on old flood works on the Buller River upstream of Westport at Organs Island, and near O'Conor Home.
It followed ratepayer approaches indicating the high level of interest in the town, she said.
The council has already approved that urgent work which if not done leaves Westport vulnerable to another big flood event.
Coll-McLaughlin said she and fellow Westport Rating District Committee member, regional council chairman Allan Birchfield, had been outspoken "about how urgent that work is" aside from the proposed flood scheme proper.
"I also think that the amount of work our staff are dealing with for a council of our size and our budget is absolutely phenomenal.
"I'm getting a little bit impatient with criticisms we get back. I think we maybe don't blow our trumpets sufficiently but quite frankly the work (staff) are doing, I am profoundly grateful for."
Chief executive Heather Mabin said the small council's staff were under "an incredible amount of pressure".
In particular, the Westport scheme technical advisory group for the business case along with council's in-house staff had faced extraordinary pressure.
Some of the constraint would be taken up under the new staff secondment arrangement via the Greater Wellington Regional Council, in place for the several of the Government's Infrastructure Reference Group (shovel ready) and other projects the council had, Mabin said.
Cr John Hill said he too was receiving a lot of local feedback "and I get quite annoyed when I hear the word 'procrastination' being used".
"I'd like to get the message out to our ratepayers, the last thing we can be accused of is procrastination."
Coll-McLaughlin said she heard from ratepayers that they liked efficiency and for the council not to be overstaffed.
However, it was doing its best to respond urgently within limited resources, "when we have business cases to prepare and urgent work to meet and then flooding events in February and heavy rain now".
The council has to meet the proposed flood scheme business case deadline set by the Government, by the end of this month.
"I'm getting impatient with comments like 'oh Covid, they're using it as an excuse' when we can see behind the scenes that is far from the case -- and I just want that noted to staff," Coll-McLaughlin said.
"I cannot believe what [staff] have managed to achieve to timeframes that we have had put around us."
Kalle
"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."
"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’
I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.
I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.
I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.
I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.
We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.
I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.
I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."
- Kalle
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Poll: Is it okay to grocery shop in your PJs?
I'm sure you've seen it while doing your weekly shop... In fact, it may have even been you.
What do you think about people heading to the supermarket in their pyjamas?
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14.5% It's fine!
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75% It's questionable
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10.6% Other - I'll share below
Vanessa
“Giggly girt! Giggly girt!”
“See I got my hair cut on Friday. I've got my hair band to keep it up. See? Like this I keep it up.
Biscuit Blair - she's my favourite woman. And you. And that cheeky lady over there.
My last name is Rule. I'll write it down for you, you silly old duff.
I was born on West Coast. I moved here when I was a little girl.
I like doing pictures here that’s why I like pictures. Doing art. I like going for a walk. I come here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
My sister, I go see her on Saturday. Have a cup of coffee, at home. She's five, nine. 59. I'm five, seven, 57. This year I'll be 58. My birthday's on a Thursday. I'm having chocolate cake and pizza. And lolly ice cream.
Some people are noisy. Nicholas, and Peter and Chris, they are my friends and that giggly girt over there.
I get headache sometimes at other work, because noisy.
I'm happy here. I could go for a walk if I want to. I'm good.”
- Vanessa, White Room Creative Spaces
The White Room is a community creative space that removes barriers to
making art. Through this, artists build confidence and connections and
embrace new opportunities.
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