How to pay for Wanganuis Anzac Parade flood protection was a key feature of yesterdays submissions to Horizons Regional Council.
The councils strategy and policy committee sat in the Wanganui District Council chambers and heard seven verbal submissions.
Former Horizons councillor Greg Cox asked that the council rate take for those in the direct flood area be a one-off $106, paid in one year. The payment spread over three years would total $180 for those same people. Urban ratepayers will pay $61.
He said the area was always going to flood and waters took 4-5 days to clear. In the October floods, the fire service had worn out up to five pumps because of the river silt.
Mr Cox said Horizons had a pump for those situations. It would be easy to make a special chamber that the council could drop the pump into and empty out the floodwater that affected the bumper boats and go-kart businesses on Anzac Parade.
He asked that the councils finances be available for ratepayers to view when they were released, not later when they could not find them.
In his submission, former Wanganui district councillor Allan Anderson asked that Horizons enter into discussions to help fund a position at Bushy Park.
Mr Anderson had worked voluntarily for 12 years and, because of the importance of the sanctuary and the work it undertook, he said a paid position was necessary to continue the work.
Former district council hopeful Jango came in with all guns blazing.
He said costs were increasing and he could not afford to buy shoes, and demanded that the wage and salary information be available for the ratepayers to see.
I have to do cost-cutting. Have they received increases in the past three years?
Possums and rooks were a central government issue, not the job of Horizons, and Jango reminded the councillors to stick to your core work.