December 16, 2007
Hastings District Council’s emergency management team have introduced an armoured response truck to combat the raft of recent attacks on pedestrians by thirsty pohutukawa. Council’s senior emergency management officer, Paul Hawke, warned not to approach dehydrated trees during summer. “Natives in particular are dangerously unpredictable when parched,” Mr Hawke said. “During trees’ feeding times we’re [...]
December 12, 2007
BayBuzz is conducting a poll on big project spending in the region. You can take it here. We want hundreds, thousands of voters to take the poll over the holiday period. We plan to promote the poll to encourage a high “voter turnout.” But here are some early returns on three potential “big ticket” items [...]
December 12, 2007
Now that the Hastings Council has accepted Andy Lowe’s application for a proposed private plan change enabling extensive development of Ocean Beach, the next round of public consultation is about to begin. Those opposed to building 1000 dwellings and supporting infrastructure on Ocean Beach need to gird their loins and prepare for this next stage [...]
December 11, 2007
Rumour is that HDC is close to a decision on a new CEO. An announcement is likely before Christmas. Councillors I’ve heard from are very pleased with the vetting process and the quality of candidates. From that, one can only assume that the Council will take proud and unanimous ownership of this decision — by [...]
December 9, 2007
Several REALLY BIG — $10-$150 million — infrastructure and other projects are under consideration in Hawke’s Bay. Not all of the spending for these seven projects would necessarily directly hit the pocketbooks of HB ratepayers. Some would involve a mix of funding sources, including the Government and private contributors or investors. Nevertheless, these projects represent [...]
December 6, 2007
It seems that the most anemic — at least rudderless — governing board in the region is the HB District Health Board. Diana Kirton, a third-termer whose family has more health care experience than the average medical college, commented at this week’s Board meeting: “We don’t know whether we’re broken up or not. We don’t [...]
December 5, 2007
Our local councillors, most of them citizen legislators, generally find their work driven by two realities: 1) today’s news — be it natural disaster, a rash of graffiti, or a bunch of citizens upset about some neighborhood micro-issue; or, 2) the priorities and agendas of the professional staff, who are often driven in turn by [...]
- Andrew Reyngoud on DAM(N)! A half-billion dollar water storage scheme
- Margaret Donnelly on WATER. What's all the fuss about?
- Elizabeth Sisson on 'Dump Council' campaign
- Paul Bailey on Cows in Karamu Stream
- Rob Pharazyn on Cows in Karamu Stream
- John J Harrison on 5 mayors in HB ... 'Yeah right' says Tui
- Anne Parker on Let's get Council meetings online
- Stuart Nash on 5 mayors in HB ... 'Yeah right' says Tui
- Kylie Fowler on Let's get Council meetings online
- Paul Bailey on Let's get Council meetings online
- ‘Dump Council’ campaign
- Cows in Karamu Stream
- Questions for HB ‘regional study’ director
- Let’s get Council meetings online
- 5 mayors in HB … ‘Yeah right’ says Tui
- Crucial Environment Court hearing underway
- Regional Council warns on pollution standards
- Democracy in action?
- 1+1+1 = 3 hours
- Councils’ reorganization survey results
