Letters: Ngongotahā Stream needs clearing; unfair attack on councillor

Ngongotahā Stream after heavy rainfall on Tuesday. Photo / Ben Fraser

Stream needs clearing

On Tuesday we nearly had a repeat of April's flood down Western Rd. The water was just inches below the road where it breached the bank last time.

Last Saturday I took my dog for a walk along the Ngongotahā Stream. I was amazed that in my opinion no attempt had been made to clear the bank of overgrown willows and bamboo. There were also trees that had fallen across the stream that had not been cleared.

Perhaps if the council actually came and walked alongside the stream they would learn something. Spend some of our rate money on essentials instead of unwanted baubles such as the Hemo sculpture and the unused cycleways.

AJ Watson
Ngongotahā

Attack on councillor 'unfair'

John Pakes' letter (June 5) attacking councillor Mark Gould was unfair in my opinion. By not providing the publication location as RDRR's Facebook page, readers were unable to check the veracity of his claims.

When they do, I think they will find that Mr Pakes impugned councillor Gould's motives, which were to inform the public about rates and debt increases and major proposed projects, so they could contact councillors before June 28 when the Long-Term Plan is to be signed off.

Casting councillor Gould as the promoter of wealth is unfair when, in my opinion, he has a balanced concern for people, profit, planet and progress.

Mr Pakes selected key issues. When councillor Gould pointed out how unfair rates increases would be to retired residents, how regressive the Uniform Annual General Charge was, and that Tarawera residents were denied the option of paying for their sewage scheme over 25 years, unlike the residents in Hamurana, Rotoma and Rotoiti, Mr Pakes asserted that he favoured the asset-rich.

Where councillor Gould wanted priority to be given to restoring the museum and the Aquatic Centre's roof, footpaths on both sides of Glenholme's streets, stopping the council charging for services that retirement village owners already pay for, for the Long-Term Plan to anticipate climate change, and to mitigate the effects of compounding rates increases, Mr Pakes offered a tendentious sermon on supporting the have nots.

The debate over the Long-Term Plan must be conducted with integrity and in the open by bringing back public hearings.

Reynold Macpherson
Rotorua