Run-off area could become a lake
What a great asset in the expressway paths we have.
I take my wee pooch walking along the expressway track off Raumati Road to the exit onto Kiwi Road. It skirts around a significant expressway drain-off area. It has a small drainage ditch or stream running west to east through it. Wildlife is setting up there now and it’s great to see pukeko, paradise, terns, mallard and even a hare, plus the pony club horses grazing and sleeping.
It occurs to me looking at the expansiveness of this basin of wetlands and its bank depths courtesy of the expressway that there is potential to create a lake of significant depth with the exit pipe converted to a controlled weir like at Waimanu.
I declare I have a vested interest in that I sail a radiocontrolled yacht. I’d see this lake complementing the one at Waimanu Lagoon.
Before the naysayers with all those impediments of reserve wetlands, resource consent et al get carried away, I’d like to say this would make an absolutely brilliant public pond. It is positioned well for sailing model craft but also even small dinghies or kayaks could explore this large pond.
A city of the size of our area (yes I believe we collectively are as large as a city) deserves a water pond area like this.
Geoff Amos
Raumati Beach
EXECUTIVE SALARIES
A recent print media item on local government costs highlighted the current salaries paid to a variety of chief executives from both large local authorities and smaller councils with a rural/ urban mixed population.
It would appear from the salaries paid to the chief executives of the larger councils that a considerable part of their salary packages are derived from property rates and general user charges. The salaries paid to council chief executives are expected to reflect the current salary packages paid to chief executives employed in the private sector!
Council chief executive salary packages range from $205,000 up to $416,160 with the Wellington City chief executive topping the list at $416,160 while the Carterton District Council chief executive earns $205,000.
In retrospect it would be evident to district ratepayers and residents that council chief executives are certainly in the higher earner category with their salary packages impacting on the rates income.
Bill Stirling
Levin
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
News that KCDC boss Pat Dougherty has resigned, is a golden opportunity to appoint a new chief executive mandated to review the organisation with the goal of cutting costs for Kapiti ratepayers.
There needs to be a concerted effort to reduce operational costs. A new chief executive must be hired with the number one goal of reducing expenditure, seeking efficiencies and cutting back nonessential spending.
KCDC debt is ballooning and staff numbers have skyrocketed, with the net result of high rate increases.
It’s time to tighten the belt on council spending. I urge the mayor and councillors to appoint a new chief executive with a new vision of reduced expenditure.
Guy Burns
Deputy chairman, Raumati Paraparaumu Community Board
DANGERS OF ‘P’
What a fantastic job Hohepa Thompson is doing in bringing to everyone’s attention the most disgusting and frightful drug that society has had to deal with for decades.
He deserves all the support from agencies and authorities that he can get, instead of being admonished for placing a few pieces of sticky tape on road signs.
I sincerely hope that until this campaign ends on Saturday we all encourage him to continue with his effort that is imaginative and so far appears to be having some effect in, at least, making us all more aware of the dangers of ‘‘P’’.
Jonathon Harrison
Otaki
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