“Our community needs us to try and do things differently,” she said. The council had not got the right price point for the whole community.
Smith said the $400m budget had been “plucked out of the air” while his $480m had “some science” behind it.
He had gone back to the cost given in 2021 for a new wastewater treatment plant and purchasing land for discharge.
The elected members instructed the chief executive to revisit the shortlisted options and determine if any new industry developments or alternative options could be considered the best practical option.
Adding to the drama of the debate was the suboptimal conditions in which it took place. After a high-pitched noise filled the council chamber and was unable to be turned off, the meeting adjourned at 3.50pm before resuming in the much smaller Missoula room at 4.09pm.
Elected members were without microphones and could not electronically vote or join the speaking queue. With one brave member of the public among them, officers juggled laptops and papers on their laps.
The noise was thought to be coming from the speaker tower and LTP deliberations were able to resume in the chamber on Thursday.
Councillor Lorna Johnson asked how passing a resolution saying the project would not cost more than $400m could “make it magically $400m”.
“I don’t deny that the project is challenging in terms of affordability but us wishing it to be less than it is and just coming up with a figure, I’m beyond speechless.”
Councillor William Wood said the community had said Nature Calls was unaffordable. “Frankly, if we have to pay fines and go to court and fight Horizons, then if that’s at the saving of hundreds of millions of dollars for our community, so be it.”
Elected members are in charge of the city and get to set the budgets, he said.
Councillor Rachel Bowen said Nature Calls had been a long time in the process and the world had changed greatly over that time.
There had always been affordability concerns but the council had soldiered on hoping someone would ride to its rescue but it was clear no one was.
Bowen said she is elected to represent Palmerston North and the problems that will arise for surrounding communities are ones for the consenting process.
“I’m not one for kicking the can down the road but I am one for putting responsibility where it falls and the consenting process and Horizons’ responsibility as our regional council is where that falls.”
Councillor Brent Barrett said triggering a complete reset was “absolutely playing with fire”.
“This council’s lost nerve before back when this was less than $100m. Job would have been done.”
Barrett said reducing the budget was dangerous and delaying, plus damaging to relationships and the future of the city.
Councillor Karen Naylor said it was about listening to the community. “It is not a practicable option if our community cannot afford it.”
How they saw it
For reducing the budget to $400m: Mark Arnott, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay, Roly Fitzgerald, Leonie Hapeta, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, William Wood.
Against reducing the budget to $400m: Brent Barrett, Pat Handcock, Lorna Johnson, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Orphee Mickalad, Grant Smith, Kaydee Zabelin.
Judith Lacy has been editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001, and this is her second role editing a community paper.
