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
The council moves with mysterious diversity
Re Hot salt water pools expansion.
This matter has become an enigma inside a puzzle wrapped in a mystery.
The Tauranga City Council zoned the reserve on which Hot Water Pools are built a Historic Reserve to be preserved and not to be used for further commercial enterprise.
The enigma is why council applies to itself for resource consent for the expansion of the pools to allow for two new commercial enterprises?
The puzzle is why council used its own planners to offer evidence supporting the application, actually contradicting the above?
The independent commissioner employed by council refused the application because of the significant adverse environmental effects that offended the District Plan, the Reserve Management Plan and the Resource Management Act.
The mystery is why council's own creature TCAL is appealing the decision on the grounds that the adverse environmental effects are no more than minor. But losing many camping spots, building a huge extension over the existing open space reserve, the lack of the extra 65 needed car parks and the destruction of three mature palm trees - is major.
Council will have spent $2 million on this application.
Council is an enigma and its motives are a puzzle and the mystery is how to explain the gross over expenditure.
Gerry Hodgson, Mount Maunganui
Kmart thanks you
On behalf of Kmart I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who pitched in to raise over $12,000 for people in need following the recent Christchurch Earthquake. Over $900 of this came from customers who made donations at coin-collection boxes at Kmart Bayfair store over the past month.
Many of us have been personally affected or have friends, neighbours and workmates who have lost their homes and belongings. The money raised by Kmart customers will help our friends and neighbours replace essential items and access support services.
Our welfare partner, The Salvation Army, has also expressed their appreciation for the donations made to the appeal, which will go a long way to helping the Christchurch community re-build and recover.
Thank you again for your support.
Forrest Worthen, Kmart store manager - Bayfair
Pay rise proviso
Re: Tauranga politicians back own pay increase (News, April 20).
Why exactly do our Tauranga politicians think they deserve a pay rise? What positive things have they actually done for this place in the past five years or so other than constantly argue and stop economic growth?
I hope it is the politicians that are backing the marina so we can get more income generated through the boating community, or the ones that are going to provide us with some sort of tsunami warning system, the ones that strive to keep this city safe and attractive to visitors - not the ones that take away all the fun summer attractions, want to spend loads of ratepayers money on museums, make The Strand like a boxed-in area so you can smell what the table over [from you] is eating instead of being practical and making the road a no-car zone.
The ones that take away all the parking, put huge prices on the meters then wonder why no one comes to Tauranga.
Why can't we even have free recycling in this city? Oh, that's right - the city can't afford it because our politicians are sucking up the profits.
(Abridged)
N Beattie, Papamoa
Stadium woes
Re: Baypark Stadium debacle continues (News, April 21).
Good on the Chiefs for bringing such a big game to the Bay - they probably won't do it again.
At the end of the day you can't turn a sow's ear into a silk purse - and Baypark is the sow's ear of stadiums.Sean PorterTaurangaTicket fiascoI had gotten used to the hour delays in getting to Baypark, to the congestion caused by only having two entrances open, to the overcrowded refreshment facilities, to the hour or so of getting out of the car park at the conclusion of an event, but what I had not anticipated was the issue of duplicate tickets to seats.
I had two tickets to the Premium Gold section and on arrival found that my seats were already taken by ticket holders, I demanded to see their tickets and yes, they had valid tickets for those seats. Further inquiries disclosed that there were many people in a similar position to mine.
Police were called to quell some of the more disgruntled ticket holders who were obviously upset at finding they couldn't even get into the ground due to their tickets having previously been scanned.
It seems a shame that Western Bay Rugby will cop the backlash from this in reduced patronage but as far as I am concerned this is the last Baypark game for me.
Peter Weightman, Greerton
Text Views
* I cannot agree more with letter correspondent Peter Morris especially in respect to Cr Bill Grainger who must really be missing the real estate industry?
* Maybe some councillors deserve a pay rise but without doubt some others deserve nothing & some others, based on performance, deserve a large pay cut!! Get real!
* I agree with pay rise 4 councillors. In sam way. Not th 0.08 per cent.? Maybe 0.02 per cent ... Yes. How about cutting the staff in half. And see that they do same work in proper manner.
* Great eh. Councillors get the benefit of a 0.80% pay rise and ratepayers will face an increase of 10.40% in their rates. Just how fair is that? Get real u guys
* Is there no rules re easter trading for lawn mowing contractors on good friday and easter monday. 9am Good friday the mower starts.
* Re fraudsters ripping of acc. but ok for acc to rip of the working class like acc done for many years just look at car and bike rego
* I am sorry to hear about th cricket club. And losing th pitches. I do go and see them play when I can. But this is just part of a city that gets bigger. ??? And th counl don't give a rats about the people that live & play and visrt.
* New ceo great-what about new mainstreet manager 4 tauranga? geoff papamoa
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