NEWS AND YOUR VIEWS FOR OUR DISTRICT

      

11-Sep-12

Letter to the Editor: Community must be involved

 Dear Sir,
I have earlier congratulated Greg Gent and his team on their report.

I have consistently gone public in suggesting that the Minister of local Government ensure that commissioners to be appointed include community members who have deep local knowledge.

Here is one important reason, the Mangawhai Endowment Fund Act 1986 is a very important foundation stone for both the Kaipara and Mangawhai Districts.

Historically this fund stretches back to 1860 when harbour fees were charged for shipping access. When the councils were merged according to the Ellsworthy plan, deeply criticised by Mangawhai residents, the fund required its very own Act of Parliament. This fund has been used to finance community projects, ie the land where the skatepark is, and assist the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society.

When I was Chairman of the Society it came to my attention that this fund was being mismanaged at best. The trustees of this fund were successive Mayors and Councillors.

As well, as Chairman of the MHRS it was clear that the MHRS annual levy was insuf cient to fund the work, pay the interest on the MHRS loan and reduce the indebtedness.

It is public record that when I became Chairman of the MHRS the Society owed $982,000 bank debt and $130,000 to creditors. Today the society owes very little comparatively.

Our community use the frequently quoted statement, ‘The Health of our Harbour is the Health of our Community’ and we the community continue to pay the annual levy of $78.40 per annum.

As Mr Gent’s report says and I quote him ‘the Commissioners will have to establish strong community links’ because our communities trustin the KDC on many fronts has been smashed.

G. J. Mackenzie
Ratepayer