Comment: We need a good mix of skills on our council

It is interesting reading in Saturday's paper (Rotorua Daily Post, Saturday, February 8) long-term Rotorua District Councillors Searancke and Sturt "had no idea"... that sounds a bit like excuses made by some accused directors of various collapsed finance companies.

Question now is, should ratepayers be putting up with incompetent councillors and thus lay on the chopping block for a further rate increase to compensate? Or should the councillors in question resign and the new mayor appoint number of well educated and experienced directors, instead of elections by popularity vote.

Councillors, like company directors, have an obligation to understand the business, ask the questions and ensure the business they govern is taken care of and looked after in the best interest of its share or stake holders ... statements like "we did not know" are not acceptable ... it is their duty to know!

And if they do not, they should resign.

Holding back Rotorua city development work, particularly in areas which have a potential to increase our tourism appeal or business in general are just not helpful at all. Rotorua needs every bit of investment it can get to ensure there is a platform for growth ... Where generally business investment may be relatively short term and limited to "singular interest", councils have the possibility to make investments for the long haul.

Rotorua has a huge amount going for it but it appears to take a long time for that message to filter through to other parts of New Zealand ... Where we see Auckland bursting at the seams, Rotorua still has plenty of space and cheap housing options ... we are close to a major port, soon to be connected by an almost "motorway" system to Rotorua. Living in this area of New Zealand offers a huge amount of freedom and options in lifestyle ... which are hard to find anywhere else.

Pulling back hard is all very well but is that indeed in the long-term interest of the greater plan and objectives for the city ... which in the end can only be brought to the fore by council?

In all my time in Rotorua (since the late 80s) I have never seen a strategic plan like the one developed under leadership of our new mayor Steve Chadwick and it will be a shame if that plan could not be realised because of the incompetence of some councillors not understanding a balance sheet.

I have seen very competent local business people like Brett Marvelly (Princess Gate) being defeated by what I call a popularity person vote ... Here we had a person with a very well known business and lots of experience and skill, right at the coalface putting up his time for the greater good of the city and we let that opportunity go by? Councillors are not there to be popular; they are there to do a job ... and it's up to ratepayers to understand that and vote for skill and experience. Being a councillor is not like being on Facebook ... it does not matter how many friends you have ... what matters is what you can do for them. In today's world post global recession, the world has become much more complex and dynamic and a much greater understanding is needed on what goes on globally. Maybe it's time we ensure that we have a mix of skills on council, some by vote some by appointment, like a board of directors.

It's the experience and balance of skill that is what counts and makes the boat go faster ... there is no room for not knowing.

As a ratepayer who pays significant rates, I need value for money from those rates ... that means everyday services ... but I also need a city which grows and has an appeal and attraction for tourists and citizens to live, work and play. Paying a bit more in rates to create a better city may be a cheaper option than reducing council's debt and with that the value of investments of many thousands of ratepayers and businesses.

Harmen Heesen is a business owner, ratepayer and and former chief executive and president of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce.