Letters: Jill Walker a worthy QSM recipient

Rotorua's Jill Walker is a Queen's Service Medal (QSM) recipient for services to art and children. Photo/Stephen Parker

Sincere congratulations to Gillian/Jill Walker, a well deserved recipient - of a Queen's Service Medal (QSM) 2017.

Jill works tirelessly not only performing as part of The Tuataras duo, but also for children's art. Many of her programmes have delighted thousands of children; always encouraging them to express their own talents.

I loved her Night Magic events, the happy faces, on both parents, and the children who attended, was magic in itself.

Rotorua is so lucky to have such an enthusiastic and dedicated person, who really cares about children and their art work.

Wear your QSM with pride Jill, you so deserve too.

PAULEEN WILKINSON
Rotorua

Business plan please
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick (Rotorua Daily Post, January 1) said she hoped Rotorua people would show support for the Rotorua Lakes Council's big four projects she believed would make a substantial difference to the city.

The wishes are support to invest in a lakefront development, support for the Whakarewarewa mountain bike and forest management plan, securing funding for our museum redevelopment and also for the upgrade to Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre

The Whakarewarewa mountain bike and forest management plan has been approved but not funded. The trust may consider setting up a Givealittle page. The museum repairs are estimated at multiples of $10 million. The Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre may run into the millions - as much as $18m has been suggested.

Before the mayor acts as a "genie" and grants Rotorua its four wishes in 2018, I would like to see a business plan on how much income these facilities will produce to cover any interest loan costs, and what the fundraising agenda towards these costs are. If the genie is solely relying on the ratepayers (26 per cent of Rotorua's population) to be saddled with more debt she may find herself not receiving any "support" from the ratepayers.

My wish for 2018 is that council adopts a prudent attitude to expenditure, not take on any more bad debt, is enterprising in fundraising millions, whilst finding other income sources other than the overflogged ratepayers.

Can Genie Chadwick grant me my one wish for 2018?

[ABRIDGED]
TRACEY MCLEOD
Rotorua