12/05/2005

ODC rates may rise 6 per cent

Submissions are open on Otorohanga's draft annual plan

By KYLEE BRUCE

Submissions are now welcomed from Otorohanga ratepayers following the release of Otorohanga District Council's draft annual plan.
With a proposed overall rates increase of 6.4 per cent across the district, there will be a 2.5 per cent increase in the Otorohanga community and a 6.8 per cent increase for the Kawhia community.
Mayor Dale Williams and chief executive David Hall said the communities' increases were both very pleasing results, particularly when the substantial increase in Kawhia's capital value is taken into account.
They said the proposed rates increase for 2005/2006 is very close to that signalled by the council's long term council community plan (LTCCP).
Rates in rural areas will increase on average by 8.1 per cent. However, recent revaluations mean that this increase will vary considerably among individual properties, with the value of coastal properties and sheep and beef farms rising to a far greater extent than other rural properties such as dairy farms.
These re-valuations - which are a key contributor to the rates increases - saw a 46 per cent increase in the district's capital value - well up from the 8.53 per cent increase on the last valuation.
The most significant increase in value was in the Kawhia community, which increased on average by 76.39 per cent.
The Otorohanga community increased by 22.18 per cent while rural properties increased on average by 47.04 per cent.
Another key contributor to next year's rates increases will be a new commercial rate proposed for commercial properties in the Otorohanga community.
Funds generated by this new rate will be used to support community promotions such as Kiwiana. Support for re-development of Otorohanga Kiwi House has also been identified as a key community outcome and considerable funding has been allocated to this project during the next few years.
Roading is another significant contributor to the district's rates increases, with council committing to a "proactive" roading programme.
This means that rather than funding the bulk of capital development on the district's roads through loan raising, the council will be increasing the rates contribution to roading during the next four years.
Mr Williams and Mr Hall said it is no longer appropriate to fund roading through loan raising due to the high cost of servicing the debt, therefore this will be phased out during that four-year period.
The council's development programme for the 2005/2006 year includes development of a car park in Kawhia, upgrading roads in Aotea, development of reserve land in Aotea and upgrading Otorohanga's water reservoir.
An old concrete water main in Williams St and a sewer main in Fredrick St will be replaced while funding has been allocated for the construction of a new truck wash facility in Otorohanga.
This facility is intended to be self-funding. Major redevelopment of the pensioner housing units in Kawhia and Otorohanga is ear-marked and will also utilise funding from Housing New Zealand.
Funds have also been set aside for an activity structure at the Otorohanga Swimming Pool complex.
Meanwhile various roading projects will be carried out throughout the district including ongoing re-surfacing of roads in Otorohanga in order to provide a smoother surface and reduce tar bleeding.
Submissions on the draft annual plan close on May 30.

Re-use shop recycles funds for youth centre

Each month New Zealanders dispose of enough rubbish to fill a rugby field 30 stories high.
Yet 20 stories of this rubbish could easily be recycled or composted.
It is this `wastefulness' that Otorohanga District Council is trying to address with 'Recycle Junktion' and their zero waste policy.
Adopted in 2002, council's zero waste policy aims to reduce waste following the 'four Rs' - reduce, reuse, recycle and recover.
Since 1996 the council has provided free services for recycling common waste materials such as paper, glass, plastic and cans, however once they adopted the zero waste policy it was decided that recycling services required further improvement.
They also decided to provide services in order to encourage the re-use of suitable unwanted items. Tucked away at the end of Progress Park, Recycle Junktion - Otorohanga's recycling centre - was developed in early 2004.
Here residents are invited to recycle everything from paper, cardboard, plastic soft drink and milk containers to glass bottles, jars, and cans.
Open from 10am to 4pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (excluding Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day), people can either drop these recyclable items off on 'sorting tables' during the facility's opening hours or put the materials into appropriate slots in a 'drop off' container at the front of the site.
It is however important that all materials presented for recycling are delivered in an appropriate condition.
In particular it is important that different types of materials are presented separately and not mixed with rubbish or other non-recyclable materials, that plastic bottles are empty and squashed and that glass bottles, jars or metal cans are empty and washed if necessary.
Another vital part of Recycle Junktion is its 'reuse shop'.
Working on the same principle as a charity shop, the re-use shop takes suitable items at no charge - saving the cost of disposal - and offers them to others for a small contribution.
Different to other charity shops in Otorohanga, the re-use shop has relatively large storage areas and is therefore able to accept a wider variety of items, including furniture, household goods, hardware and building materials.
While the overall operation of Recycle Junktion is currently managed by Supa Bins, director Eric Tait has allowed the Otorohanga Harvest Christian Fellowship to operate the shop free of charge and to keep all proceeds.
Money raised from the facility will be put towards the establishment of a new youth centre.
Council considers this form of management arrangement as an excellent outcome for the community - enabling residents to dispose of their good unwanted items in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, while at same time helping to fund an initiative that will benefit local youth.
What the reuse service now needs is for more residents to bring good, re-useable items to Recycle Junktion, so it becomes a great place to look for a bargain. Similar centres throughout the country have shown that once a re-use facility holds a good stock of items it attracts lots of people, who will in turn bring in more useful items.
While residents are encouraged to take good used items to Recycle Junktion it should however be noted the re-use service is not a complete substitute for the landfill.
Items will not be accepted if they are considered unsuitable, either due to their condition or the nature of the item.
Even if an item is not suitable for re-use, Recycle Junktion staff may still be able to assist you to either recycle or dispose of it, though charges do apply for these services.
So come on, do your bit for the environment and put your rubbish to good use.
With a facility such as Recycle Junktion right at your fingertips, you would be a fool to 'waste' it.