Dee Dee Kusabs at the Saving Springfield meeting. Photo / File
Rotorua's Local Democracy Reporter Felix Desmarais looks back on some of his biggest stories in 2021, month by month. Here's what made headlines this year.
January - Calls for mayor to 'stand up' on homelessness, safety
A petition calling for urgent council action on city safety and homelessness in Rotorua has garnered more than 1000 signatures in less than a week.
The petitioner, Meredith Herbert, has also invited mayor Steve Chadwick to organise or attend a public forum to hear people's experiences first-hand.
Chadwick says she understands the frustration around city safety, saying it was "top of mind", but stopped short of committing to a public forum on the issues.
February - Rotorua's controversial Hemo sculpture will cost about $5200 a year
The upkeep of Rotorua's controversial Hemo Gorge sculpture will cost ratepayers about $5200 every year.
New details have emerged from behind-the-scenes of the sculpture's installation after a Local Democracy Reporting official information request for communications between the council, Kilwell Fibretube, Waka Kotahi NZTA and road engineers regarding the sculpture.
The emails also revealed Rotorua Lakes Council was cautious to reveal a helicopter would be needed to transport the sculpture for fear of a negative public reaction.
March - The 'black hole' of transparency: Secret council workshops under the microscope
On March 19, Local Democracy Reporting revealed a Rotorua man complained to the Office of the Ombudsman about Rotorua Lakes Council's refusal to provide detailed information on the content of its public-excluded workshops.
On March 26, an information request revealed most New Zealand councils are holding dozens of closed-door workshops a year. A constitutional law expert says it is a "troubling black hole" in the transparency of local government, while a leader in the sector suggests change may be on the horizon.
Local Democracy Reporter Felix Desmarais asked: How much is the public missing out on in secret council workshops?
April - 'Propaganda' alleged in rowdy meeting over golf course
"How dare you."
That's how the leader of a group created to save Rotorua's Springfield Golf Club stared down the council at a sometimes rowdy community meeting on April 20.
The meeting, to discuss the proposed Westbrook Sports and Recreation Precinct, attracted about 150 members of the public, several councillors and the mayor.
It also saw one councillor accusing the council of "propaganda" surrounding the proposal.
May - Rotorua will have Māori wards at next election
Emotions ran high as Rotorua voted to adopt Māori wards in time for the next local election.
The decision was made by a full council meeting on May 21, right on the legislative deadline to introduce them.
The vote, which was not unanimous, was met with a waiata from about 80 gathered in the public gallery.
Councillor Tania Tapsell voted against the introduction of Māori wards.
June - Rotorua's seven deputy chief executives: Council leaders explain controversial $50k change process
Rotorua Lakes Council's "organisational realignment" - which has seen seven deputy chief executives appointed - cost $51,842 with that expected to rise to about $75,000.
The cost was revealed by council chief executive Geoff Williams in an interview with Local Democracy Reporting on June 24, following a public furore over the previous two weeks.
July - Fight for mayoralty starts as Steve Chadwick to stand down at next election
Former NZ First MP Fletcher Tabuteau has thrown his hat in the 2022 Rotorua mayoralty ring after mayor Steve Chadwick confirmed she would not be standing again.
Tabuteau is unlikely to run unopposed, however, with sitting councillor Raj Kumar also confirming he will make a bid for the mayoral chains.
Fellow councillor Reynold Macpherson said he "may or may not" run for the mayoralty.
Waiariki rivals Rawiri Waititi and Tāmati Coffey have lent their voices to a growing chorus of opposition to more managed isolation facilities in Rotorua.
On August 20, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said officials were "listening carefully to concerns raised" and it would be factored into decision-making.
Coffey was dethroned from the Waiariki electorate seat in the 2020 general election by Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi and remains based in Rotorua.
On August 19 he said he agreed with National Party Rotorua MP Todd McClay that places like Tauranga or Queenstown would be more ideal locations for a proposed expansion of managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities.
September - 'Back of the queue': Māori and Pasifika should have been prioritised for vaccines – experts
Māori health experts say the age-based approach baked inequities into the Covid-19 vaccine rollout and giving Māori and Pasifika vaccination priority could have dampened the Delta outbreak.
A Rotorua district health board member and Whānau Ora representative says the rollout typified a "back of the queue, back of the bus" approach to Māori.
The Ministry of Health says the vaccine sequencing was established to vaccinate those most at risk first and it was working to boost Māori and Pasifika rates.
Massey University Te Pūmanawa Hauora Māori Health and Development Research centre director Professor Chris Cunningham said more than half of the Māori population was under 30, a statistic linked to a lower life expectancy than the general population.
October - 'Amateurish': Council communications on public safety issues blasted
A public relations and journalism expert says Rotorua Lakes Council's failure to circulate media releases about two recent public health incidents "sounds amateurish".
The president of Local Government NZ says best practice in matters of health and safety is to "use all communication channels" available.
The council defended its decision to only post updates on the Kuirau Park geothermal bore casing failure and Ngongotahā wastewater spill to Facebook and the council website, methods it says are faster and more shareable.
November - 'A disaster waiting to happen': Four staffed ICU beds for population of 116k
"A disaster waiting to happen."
That's how Rotorua MP Todd McClay describes Lakes DHB's ability to cope with a Delta outbreak after it was revealed there are only four fully staffed intensive care beds in Rotorua.
McClay is calling on the Government to urgently increase intensive care capacity in the area.
Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi said the region could face a "huge catastrophe" in an outbreak and wanted to see more support for people self-isolating.
December – Rotorua NZer of the Year semi-finalist Lyall Thurston, folic acid campaigner honoured
A Bay of Plenty local government representative has been nominated for Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year, alongside Rotorua-born Dame Valerie Adams.
Lyall Thurston is a Bay of Plenty regional councillor and a member of Lakes District Health Board. He joins 10 other semifinalists, including epidemiologist Michael Baker, Tokyo Olympic gold medallist and Bay of Plenty woman Lisa Carrington and East Coast MP Kiri Allan.
Thurston was recognised for "advocating vociferously" for the disability sector for almost 40 years, according to a statement from the awards on December 6.
Donovan Duff was already serving a life sentence. He was handed another one today.