Letters to the Editor

No rubbish bins?

We have just enjoyed a lovely Easter weekend at Mangawhai, marred only by two things.

The grass verges down by the Estuary were covered in doggie doo. Not a go od look for visitors. As responsible dog owners we picked up after our dogs but found there were no rubbish bins available to put our bags into.

The lack of rubbish bins also led to quite a bit of rubbish lying around. I can’t understand why, in such a busy place as Mangawhai, there were no bins when there were previously.

 

J Shorter

Auckland 

 

 

Actions defy belief

I write in response to the matter of the High Court Action filed by the Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Association.

I have met with the commissioners as a group or singularly on eight occasions since their appointment August 2012. On four of those occasions I have offered them an olive branch to come to the table and negotiate with our Mangawhai community. Messrs Robertson and Winder particularly have rejected this offer.

To date commissioner Robertson has personally approved the following expenditure, unbudgeted, to Auckland lawyers Simpson Grierson, (a) $36,000 for an opinion re the validity of the 2006/12 rates. I have copies of the invoices and was refused the opinions expressed by Simpson Grierson despite a request under the Official Information Act. And (b) $150,000 for a retrospective local bill to validate the 2004/12 rates which we now know and invalid. As well this bill provides a pardon for all who have perpetrated the financial failure of the KDC.

I say to commissioner Robertson, your continuing actions defy belief. Come and negotiate with our community

 

Graham Mackenzie

Kaipara
 

 

Appeal cost thousands

Craig Jepson thinks it wise to make false statements in the Focus I wish he would check his facts before rambling on.

Kaipara District Council staff will provide the exact dollar figure of what it cost us, the ratepayers, last year when Jonathan Larsen decided to appeal to the Environment Court because he was turned down to build 17 huge sheds.

I was told at the time by the mayor that it ran into tens of thousands of dollars. Lawyers, engineers, planners and other expensive, specialised staff have to prepare reports and go to court.

I believe that Larsen has consent to build several sheds, two of them on the ridgeline. Now why would anybody in their right mind build massive silver sheds on top of a hill with an extremely steep and erosion-prone access – and for what?

Maybe it is you, Mr Jepson, who lives in fairy land.

 

Martina Tschirky

Mangawhai