Rates may rise to keep chopper in air

The Northland Regional Council is proposing another targeted rate - this time to help fund the region's rescue helicopter services to the tune of $700,000.
Each of the region's 82,818 ratepayers will fork out $8.56 towards a targeted rescue helicopter service from July 1 subject to public consultation and NRC approval.
The proposal is contained in the NRC's draft Long-Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) 2009-2019, which will go out for public submission from April 8 to May 8.
The Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST), which needs about $4 million a year to operate its two helicopters, ran into financial problems after the Lions Foundation withdrew its annual $360,000 funding 18 months ago.
Trust chief executive Pete Turnbull said between 60 to 70 per cent of funds came from clients such as ACC, district health boards and police while $300,000 was donated from annual public appeal run through electricity lines companies Northpower and Top Energy.
He said NEST was short of about $600,000 annually. The proposed new rate will rake in $703,897.
NRC chairman, Mark Farnsworth, who floated the idea of ratepayer funding towards the rescue service last year, said the public simply could not afford to lose the helicopters.
"We're concerned about the stability of funding for that service - it's a vital service when hospitals are rationalised and requires regional co-ordination to keep it afloat," he said yesterday.
On a conflict of interest for regional councillor and NEST chairman John Bain, Mr Farnsworth said it was his own idea which was only a proposal at this stage.
"It's not about John Bain," he said. "He wasn't near or in the building when the issue was discussed and this is part of the LTCCP which will be put out for public consultation."
He hopes the public will look at it objectively.
Mr Bain said the whole process started before he became a councillor in October 2007.
"Each time, prior to it being discussed, I left the building and the only time I've spoken with the chairman is if he had questions about anything on that subject," he said.
He declined to answer questions on the issue and referred the Advocate to Mr Turnbull, NEST chief pilot and CEO.
Mr Turnbull said the targeted rate would bring a sigh of relief if the green light was given.
He said the weakening of the dollar, the cost of maintenance, fuel and spare parts were all putting a strain on NEST's finances.
Citing an example of ongoing costs, he said the cost of one helicopter blade had risen from US$102,000 ($191,834) to US$166,000.
For every hour of flying, the helicopters needed four hours of maintenance.
Regional councillors will discuss the draft LTCCP at their monthly meeting this afternoon.
May 21-25 have been set aside by the NRC for hearing public submissions.