The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS:
How much will this dubious deal cost?
What have the spendthrifts at Tauranga Council/Tauranga City Venues paid out on this dubious deal? From all accounts, possibly up to $1 million. When the stadium was purchased by TCC/TCVL for $12 million from Mr Clarkson, it was critical the Speedway Operating Agreement, signed September 17, 2007 (yes, four days before settlement), was terminated and included in the so-called "deal". It wasn't, because TCC negotiators and councillors, when they finally approved the agreement, were willing to run with the ploy to exclude the speedway business. TCC/TCVL purchased a white elephant as the vital cash flow needed to make ends meet was gone.
So, who will benefit from the latest TCC/TCVL spending binge? In all probability, moneys paid over will ultimately end up in guess whose hands as beneficiary of council's stupidity. TCC/TCVL originally paid $12 million for the stadium and now in 2011 finally purchases the Speedway Operating Agreement for up to $1 million, in the process losing four years of speedway revenue, estimated at $4.8 million, less running expenses. This should never have been allowed to happen.
TCVL/TCC and all involved should be nailed to the wall over this mess. Who will now pick up the tab for the imminent speedway track renewal, estimated in 2010 at $300,000. Result is TCC ratepayers have been severely dealt again, because of the careless ineptitude of their TCC servants.
R Paterson, Matapihi
Keen on books?
I enjoyed the write-up of the Tauranga Library Book Club (Club of the Week, June 24).
Friends of the Library also run a book group on the third Wednesday of each month. We meet in the delightful Papamoa Library at 10am for a cuppa and a catch-up. Then, from 10.30am to 11.30am-ish we discuss the books we have read. Cost is $2 per meeting plus a small yearly membership to Friends of the Library.
May and June's topic was books made into movies. July is authors whose surname start with L, August is books whose title starts with R and September is adventure novels. Adventure novels have the library's parachute symbol on the spine.
We welcome new members to join the existing eight or so regulars who have great fun at our book group.
Kate Clar, kFriend of the Library, Pyes Pa
Invalid argument
Good fortune to the Mount Protection Society, which intends to fight Tauranga City Aquatics' appeal against the decision declining their proposed hot pools upgrade.
Their main objection is the "wellness" centre, fearing, among other things, it will become an albatross around the ratepayer's neck.
No doubt their Auckland planning expert is experienced enough to know that financial viability concerns about a project are an invalid argument so far as the Resource Management Act is concerned.
I suggest the society concentrates on reinforcing Commissioner Greg Hill's reasons for disallowing the original consent application.
Perry Harlen, Mount Maunganui
Retailers keen
Re: Parking free for all on Saturday
The majority of the retailers still want free monitored parking seven days a week.
Mainstreet and the City Centre Action group are being told what to accept by the council through Priority One and Chamber of Commerce. These people and their organisations have no interest in the CBD apart from their wages.
The council refuses to listen to the businesses unless it's through the above organisation and have done an excellent job of controlling the parking issues to avoid spending the much-needed funds to revitalise the CBD.
It is also interesting to note that the Mount Maunganui Mainstreet is advertising "enjoy free parking every day of the week".
Well done Leanne, for taking advantage of the silly situation the council have left the CBD in and good luck with the great advantage you have over us.
Bill Campbell, Tauranga
Worth fighting for
Tauranga City Aquatics chairman Warren Banks states the proposed Mount Hot Pools redevelopment is about "expending the facility to generate more money for the city".
The financials are not driven by reality or common sense, but to make the project stack up, otherwise there's no work for the consultants, work that has cost Tauranga Council $1.5 million and growing. It's not new news - the same process promoted Route PJK, Bay Wave, the Art Gallery and Bay Park would have income more than reality.
But the lack of financial acumen of the project is not the real issue.
The real issue is an independent commissioner Hill found the the TCAL proposal does not protect the outstanding landscape feature of Mauao. Is it so unreasonable for me to think our elected councillors might also want to protect the outstanding Landscape feature of Mauao?
Instead they support TCAL taking Council to the Environmental Court, remembering TCAL are 100 per cent owned by Council. Council is somehow meant to defend Commissioner Hill's decision at the Environmental Court - against itself?
Who is left protecting our Mount, our outstanding landscape feature that is Mauao - no-one?
Step-up the Mount Protection Society - because some things are worth fighting for.
Doug Esterman, Greerton
Kahui book
Re: Rightful outrage at Kahui book (Our View, July 1)
Your editorials are always spot on. It's great to have journalistic support.
If Ian Wishart wanted to document a dysfunctional family situation ending in the death of a child as he claims, why didn't he choose a case where the perpetrators have been bought to justice.
No, he chose the murder of two tiny defenceless babies where no one has been held accountable, a crime that angered and disgusted a nation.
The Kahui case has been a headline grabber and Wishart is quite happy to ride dead babies' bodies to the bank.
He hypocritically claims the freedom of speech and yet denounces Facebook contributors for exercising their right to the same.
And now is asking the police to close the site down.
Well Mr Wishart you have outraged 50,000 decent Kiwis.
We are not prepared to stay silent. As a mother who has had to bury five children in my lifetime, Macsyna King and Wishart have left me outraged. I've never taken part in a protest but I've been a big contributor to this one.
Wishart and King are both morally bankrupt.
Shirley Wine, Waihi
Rightful outrage
Re Rightful outrage at Kahui book (Our View, July 1).
Thank you, finally someone understands the rage we are feeling and what is behind it. Well written and thanks again for being a voice of reason.Lisa SullivanWainuiomataNo bus homeIf this so-called leadership of Tauranga wishes to entice people into the city, why not at the very very least put on buses that allow people to go to a movie and then get home in the evening?
How nice to go out for dinner and bus home, well so I have heard as it is not possible in the city of Tauranga.
Vote me for mayor and see the change occur really fast.
Gregory Soar, Papamoa
Text views
* thk tga shd grow up small mnded .nzs 5 lrgst city or is it jst a town . david
* Thats good news E Books available in the library but WHY fully user pays when other library items have huge subsidies paid for by ratepayers.
* The new logo is fantastic when you say it out loud it feels so right! Well done Sally & Roanna Denny
* Richard moore so right.tga grls victims of bullying shd demand police action. Assault is assault!
* Nia glassie,s killer,s rnt getting ne visitors who the h...l cares I hope they rot all by them selves
* New Logo .Locals Love It, @ what cost? Too late weve Packed Up and Gone would be more appropriate eh!
* Re TGC. As usual neva let the facts get in the way of a story! Girl was expelld, rest suspended, then incident reportd 2 police who chose not 2 charge. TGC enforced the max penalty they r allowd 2 frm education dept. All parents contactd at least twice. Wot more can they do? Time 2 move on
* Frnt pge of BOP Times Thur on school suspensions, less thn objectve. How do we knw wht rules colleges use? One might be mre stringent thn others. My daughters (3 of them over 6 years) wnt to TGC, it's a war zone. Too big with lax management of issues at top level. Anne.
* We must get the oil and minerals out of the ground and actualy get some dollars for a change before nz goes broke.
* Get rid of election signs all together and sign writers harden up welcome to the real [world].
* TGA city council is wasting time prohibiting temporary electn signs. Only a large, permanent Taurangawood sign merits TCC intervention.:) Derek B
* The printers stance on election signs is just another example of THE WHATS IN IT FOR ME mentality that prevails in our society...Very sad.
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