Relief fund open for applications
Hello Horowhenua, welcome to the first Monthly Column to engage with you between Community Connections in the Chronicle.
It’s been a big month for our district. We have moved to the recovery phase following the May 20 weather event and continue to experience unsettled and unnerving weather.
I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the recovery team, and all agencies, contractors and individuals supporting those affected by the wild weather.
During our June 8 council meeting, we signed a Tornado Community Recovery Action Plan. We agreed upon rates relief for those displaced by the weather event and considered other ways we can support our affected community.
Horowhenua is a humble home. I’ve heard echoes of: “Others have it much worse than us”.
No matter the level of severity the weather event had on you, we encourage you to apply for the Mayoral Relief Fund. There is criteria to be met, but funds are available for those in need.
We can, and want to, help
with damaged property, essentials for daily life, costs not covered by insurance, insurance excess, situations where there is financial burden, and counselling costs.
We have extended the deadline for the Mayoral Relief Fund to June 30 to allow more time for applications, particularly as people get a clearer picture of what may not be covered by insurance.
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to the fund. We’re delighted to see bids on Codie Taylor’s All Blacks jersey auction, with proceeds to be added to the fund, rise into the thousands.
Thanks are also due for your patience while kerbside glass recycling collections were temporarily suspended.
Despite the weather, we had a good turnout at our community bottle-drop event on June 11. The stockpiled glass was collected, and a sausage sizzle enjoyed.
Kerbside glass collection resumed this week and we ask that crates are not overfilled for the safety of our contractors and community.
We want a healthy Horowhenua. We have updated our Smokefree Policy to include vaping in our Smokefree and Vapefree Environment Policy to keep our air clean in public areas.
We have adopted a Sun Protection Policy, improving shade and sun protection measures to reduce the number of people living with skin cancer in the district, and we are reviewing our Alcohol Control Bylaw to prevent alcohol related harm in our community.
We’re embracing new ways to connect with you and have launched an online community engagement platform called “Let’s Ko¯ rero Horowhenua” to discuss this issue.
In this space, you can join the conversation by sharing your ideas and feedback around liquor ban areas.
The Annual Plan will be adopted soon, and in this document you’ll see outlined how we are continuing to grow our community from good to great.
We’ll be publishing a summary in the Chronicle in the next few weeks.
That’s all for now. Stay safe.