Instead, at the last election they were just intent on cutting capital cost. They even looked at getting rid of the dryer. Adding the dryer, however, made the most sense, both financially and - very importantly - reducing risk in giving the city more than one disposal option and thereby not being beholden to ever-rising costs of, or limitations imposed by, the landfill companies.
A complete sideshow - engineered for political purposes - they frightened elderly voters under their beds.
The Seven wanted to experiment on that failed experiment. Their cheap $8m or $16m alternatives were never forthcoming, never saw the light of day.
New chief executive Kym Fell was dropped in the deep end, having to deal with the wastewater treatment plant decision (again) and all the unnecessary disruption caused by misinformation and downright disingenuousness - that, or was it total naivety?
At least two years wasted …
MARTIN VISSER,Whanganui
Council skills
I am sure I can speak on behalf of the whole Whanganui District Council - not to mention the entire city populace - in acknowledging our admiration for Steve Baron's obvious wisdom and perspicacity.
Having recently located the city's waste recycling centre in Maria Place, he appears now to be contributing to it. It's been there for several years (previously in Peat Street), and even my friend, councillor Graeme Young, found it 18 months ago.
Then, last week, Steve kindly advised us - via the Chronicle - that we should sell the 273 social housing units the council has owned for years.
Little or no mention of the concerns of the mostly elderly residents, or the fact that councillors may already be seeking to find a way how low economic rents for these senior citizens might be secured. Nor any real suggestions as to how the purchase by others might be financed at an interest cost lower than the district council already pays.
For a moment, I almost hoped Steve was himself wanting to front up with some $20-plus million, an offer that would almost certainly be accepted - provided, of course, he complied with the other conditions likely to be applied to any sale.
Mr Baron clearly has a personal agenda. What it is or what he offers is not clear to me, but he keeps encouraging me to resign from my council position, as though he brings more to the table than I do.
One problem for him is that there is no certainty that, should I resign, he would automatically take my place. I can think of many other local personalities who could bring their specialities and life skills to the table, and Steve would have competitors.
I'm not at all sure that having some sort of university political qualification is required at the council table. Rather, what is needed is real business experience combined with a compassion for people's needs and a deeply grounded training in the "university of life".
Most of all, a passion for making Whanganui great and a determination to make good decisions irrespective of whether they will be re-elected next time. These are the skills that will be needed in the next district council, just as they are now.
Whether Steve can measure up is yet to be proved. He has time to prepare.
DAVID BENNETT, Wanganui District Councillor
Ideals essential
I wasn't born in Wanganui, but there is a good chance I shall be buried here as we pay off a grave site at Aramoho.
These years here have been happy ones, though one can get caught up in Wanganui not developing sufficiently enough to materially flourish for one's children and the children of the community.
One of the reasons it will be slow to grow is that we are divided on how to go about it morally.
A community needs ideals the majority can agree on. This is to develop trust between the able and not-so-able, wealth and worker. Telling the truth and not stealing seemed to be quite basic for most of us, even though lying and stealing are rife with rich and poor throughout the country.
Adam Smith, a Scot from the 18th century, said individuals needed to be given free rein on how to invest while supporting their workers by sensible wages along with a chance to explain how work matters could be improved. Today that seems obvious with government control, apart from immigrants being exploited.
In some part this advice is being carried out. The division in our community is over something quite morally basic - killing the unborn child.
The most precious commodity in a free market are people - no people, then no market - and there is an element in Wanganui who seem to be transfixed by death, abortion and euthanasia. These people are vocal and perhaps not necessarily large in number, but their attitude to life is curious when one considers they have escaped all three of these fates.
Do we wish the city to grow? It can only be along high ideals.
Leaders need to sort themselves out over this issue, to show everyone is important. The opposite of this is that we remain self-centred, uncharitable (unless it fits in with ambitions) and continuing slow growth or none at all.
F R HALPIN, Whanganui
