Ask your constituents

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Cr Larry Foster, a few queries on your powerful opinion piece of January 9. You stated that you look around the council room and see a wealth of very intelligent, passionate and committed people working hard to achieve the best possible results for us all. Perhaps I’m wrong but I understand that at least five of those you refer to are now opposed to the rebuild. Are they included in your description of the room’s intellects?

People such as Pat Seymour are certainly working hard to achieve the best possible result for us all, at an affordable price.

Tony Robinson is no one’s fool and his comments and questions carry a great deal of validity. Why does the council hierarchy not reply to his queries in any form other than criticism?

Larry, you stated that you will not support any decision that wastes $300,000 (the estimated cost of hesitation), yet you are happy to support a rebuild cost of $11m, plus $1.5m, plus the writing-off of the existing building assets.

Like it or not, strengthening would cost a fraction of that.

If democracy is alive in our district, ask your constituents what they want. Personally, I have not spoken to one person who is in favour of a rebuild.

You say you have all spent many hours reading reports, attending workshops and many meetings. Did not Pat Seymour, Amber Dunn etc do exactly the same?

Do you not agree that a price of just $490,000 was tendered to strengthen the 2001 and 1980s buildings, and $1.78m for the 1955 building (including temporary accommodation and increasing the size of it)?

If strengthening has been acceptable for a number of multi-storeyed buildings in our city, why is this solution unacceptable to the council?

The statement was made that under GHL, the rental would be similar to what the council is currently charging itself. Are you sure?

Larry, we have been friends for a very long time and I do not wish to rain on your parade, but demoracy should rule and I am entitled to my opinion.

Mike Mulrooney,Ask your constituents