Letters: Questioning council is the right thing to do

Questioning the council is the right thing to do, says a reader. Photo/File

Ryan Gray in his letter (Letters, July 19) showed contempt for Reynold Macpherson's negative views of Rotorua Lakes Council spending and increased debt and attributed $237,000 of council spending to this one man.

Gray needs to understand that many ratepayers agree with Mcpherson's views and while many, including myself, are not members of his Residents and Ratepayers organisation, we support anyone who is prepared to hold the mayor and council to account.

Mayor Steve Chadwick had an election platform to reduce debt and yet council debt has continued to grow in part because of spending on very financially suspect projects which she has initiated, including Mudtopia.

Council spending of $237,000 to answer Macpherson's concerns is money well spent compared to council making a $600,000+ loss on just one of these projects, Mudtopia.

I am sure Macpherson is viewed as a right pain by Chadwick and her supporting councillors but he speaks for many ratepayers.

Rotorua is a beautiful city and has a lot going for it but stupid spending by Chadwick and supporters leaving a legacy of increasing massive debt is simply dumb. (Abridged)

Paul Carpenter
Rotorua

Great value

Ryan Gray (Letters, July 19) wants Reynold Macpherson to repay ratepayers the $237,337 allegedly spent by the council answering his questions over the last three and a half years, because he feels he's not getting value for money.

All the ratepayers I meet, and it's their money, believe that they are getting great value for money for his exposure of the wasteful dealings of the council and coming up with smart alternatives.

Gray should remember that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Compared to the costs of the chief executive and those elected to serve community interests, the good doctor gives excellent value for money.

The council's Official Information Request reported on April 23 tells us that the council's chief executive's salary, during the 2016/17 financial year, was $338,857, the mayor was paid $132,069, the 10 councillors were paid an average of $51,415, and the eight community board members averaged $10,022.

When totalled and multiplied by 3.5 years they cost us $3,728,382.

Before expenses. Before adding $21 million to debt in the last year. Before the costs of getting their, in my view, "fake" awards.

And if Macpherson gets elected mayor, he can ask the same questions in office, fix the problems, and save us 44.4 per cent.

Thanks Mr Gray! And yes, thank you Reynold Macpherson for keeping us in the loop.

Harry Brasser
Rotorua

Questionable benefits

I tend to agree with Tracey McLeod (Letters, July 17) over her questioning of the benefits to Rotorua via the cycleways, etc.

I well remember previous councils quoting the $50 million to $100m the international airport was going to bring into Rotorua and we all know how that ended.

The town centre is an embarrassment when it comes to cycleways. It is interesting how many people think the link from Kuirau Park to the Government Gardens via the lakefront should have been the option.

Still the ratepayers will pay the tab for another questionable project. I also think the Mudtopia debacle is far from done and dusted.

The committee should stop using the Trump method and listen to those who are asking questions. Excuse the pun the waters are murky if not muddy on this issue.

Derek Packham
Lake Tarawera