Susan Lyford, John Schrader and Craig Ellmers facilitated the meeting of the Dannevirke Ratepayers and Residents' Association to officially form the committee. Photo / Leanne Warr
Susan Lyford, John Schrader and Craig Ellmers facilitated the meeting of the Dannevirke Ratepayers and Residents' Association to officially form the committee. Photo / Leanne Warr
Rates, dirty water and Dannevirke's leaky dam are top of mind for a newly formed council watchdog.
Water issues were the main topics of discussion at a public meeting of the Dannevirke Ratepayers and Residents' Association last week.
The meeting was initially held for election of officers and a committeebut those present were given the opportunity to comment on any issues.
The idea for forming the association was initiated by John Schrader, who told the meeting it had been prompted by a leaking toby and a battle with the Tararua District Council to repair the damage on the footpath caused by the leak.
A toby is a valve that allows water flow between household or business water pipes and council water mains.
Craig Ellmers, who was nominated chairman, told the meeting that even before the committee was formed there had been discussions with the council questioning issues such as the water pipe along the rail corridor, the issues with the town's leaky dam and whether it was going to be repaired.
"We have raised a number of questions on behalf of the ratepayers [as] we felt it necessary to understand what was going on in the council and ratepayers and residents need to understand where things sit."
He said issues such as the "prolonged and ongoing water issues", the proposed 11 per cent plus rates increase and the capital expenditure carry forwards of $7 million were also topics of discussion.
"There needs to be some clarity, there needs to be a channel for discussion with the council so that we can feed that back into the ratepayers and residents of this town, and broader speaking, within the northern ward, where we aim to set ourselves up and at some stage we hope to eventually get the southern ward interested as well."
Ellmers said the reason the association was set up was to be a channel.
"To open this up so that the ratepayers and residents can understand what's going on and to give the council an opportunity to convey more accurately and more correctly, I think, of what's really going on and what their plans are."
The dam was one of the major topics of discussion at the meeting. Photo / Leanne Warr
He said the issues with the reservoir had been going on for about 10 years.
"I recall it's been going on for some time and we've got the same old story every year."
Dannevirke residents had been told to boil water for a week following heavy rain which caused turbidity in the water supply.
"We need to understand what's going on and what's going to be the plan to change that going forward. Not least of which is how much money it's going to cost and how they're going to fund it."
Those present were given the opportunity to speak to the meeting about some of the issues, which included rubbish collection and the level of service they expected but felt they were not getting.
