Community board hears criticism for CEO
Port Tarakohe. Tasman District Council CEO Paul Wylie attracted plenty of attention at this week’s community board meeting.
Mr Wylie was recently reported (The Nelson Mail 5 April) as saying that council may consider selling Port Tarakohe as one of its options later in the year, a statement now drawing strong responses. In Public Forum Barry Pomeroy, Allan Kilgour and Joan Butts all spoke against any sale.
“It may be undergoing a few hiccups at the moment but it must be retained at all costs,” said Barry Pomeroy, ex-Pohara Boat Club.
“The people of Golden Bay have spoken loud and clear that they want to keep it,” said harbour manager Allan Kilgour. “The way they do the accountancy shows a loss because they include depreciation as a cost. Also, when they quote figures for a nine-month period it distorts the figures. The port is running well, all charges are being laid and they are accounted for and brought back into the system.”
Port Tarakohe director Joan Butts said that the biggest threat to the port was ill-informed councillors from over the Hill.
“A few years ago the office block was presented to Talleys at a cut-rate price. The original debts that were stacked against the port were not transparent. TDC brings in consultants and they stack a few hundred thousand dollars of debt against the port and then it’s described as unprofitable.”
CEO’s meeting in East Takaka. Mr Wylie also attracted some criticism for a meeting he attended in East Takaka on Monday of last week, apparently to seek the opinions of the silent majority without the input of councillors, community board or the politically active. Seven people attended, apart from Mr Wylie and the meeting organiser Stuart Borlase. Some of them expressed their disapproval through Public Forum.
“It appeared that the CEO and Mr Borlase called an unadvertised meeting. People were hand-picked to come to the meeting and say that they wanted more infrastructure and pay big money for it,” said Victoria Davis. “At the meeting I asked what the rate take from Golden Bay is and Mr Wylie agreed to supply it to The GB Weekly. He said that the large rates base in Richmond sustains Golden Bay. I want to know what we were charged for the meeting and what that rate-take figure is.”
Harry Holmwood called the meeting in East Takaka “an absolute shame”.
“It shows the amount of respect the CEO has for the Golden Bay Community Board. CEO moves heaven and earth to get the people he wanted there and nine people were there. What does that say about the CEO?”
Nicola Basham was disappointed by the tone of East Takaka meeting, describing it as “bad-tempered and confrontational”.
“Mr Wylie kept asking us what Golden Bay wants the council to do. Is there a document that the board can give him that shows what the community wants? He seemed to be saying that if we didn’t want x,y and z he’d take the money away and spend it somewhere else.”
Cr Martine Bouillir said that the East Takaka meeting represented a “missed opportunity for the community board and councillors to be part of a team approach”. Board chair Carolyn McLellan called it “unhelpful”.
Community health centre survey. Dr John McKinley spoke about a survey he and his wife, Dr Sonja McKinlay had conducted around public attitudes to the community health centre.
“It’s a very robust survey,” said Dr McKinlay, an internationally respected health services researcher and social epidemiologist who lives part of the year at Patons Rock. “In summary, it found that 17% strongly agree with the integrated health project, 13% strongly disagree, 40% somewhat agree with concerns, including with the planning process itself. In terms of location, only 7% want the facility to be located at the hospital, 40% would like it in Takaka, 10% want it in Collingwood and another 43% don’t have an opinion on that.”
Motorcycle noise. Paddy Brennan and BJ White wanted action from the council on long-standing issues. Paddy represents the people affected by motorcycle noise in the Motupipi/Clifton area.
“There has only been a track there since 2005,” said Paddy. “I’ve lived there for 17 years. We haven’t suddenly turned up and decided we don’t like the noise. There is a simple solution but TDC won’t help us. We’re told that it’s not council policy to send out a noise control officer to complaints about motorcycle noise. There is a voluntary code in place but no one gets pulled up if they break the code.”
Stormwater drainage. BJ is concerned about a long-standing issue regarding stormwater drainage in Swiftsure Street in Collingwood.
“It’s been four years now,” he said. “I’ve been told again and again that something will be done. Now I’m told it’s in the hands of lawyers but no one is saying anything. Who is the lawyer that’s representing me?”
Neil Wilson
Joan Butts is a director of Port Tarakohe Limited. She told The GB Weekly, “The Port is a strategic Golden Bay asset and should be in a Port Company managed by a professional commercial business company. It’s only mismanagement that’s dragging it down. You’ve got to question why this has gone on for so long. The Port has always been a political football. We need competent commercial management, not political decision making.”
Mrs Butts says that unfair and incompletely disclosed debt has been loaded on to the port’s books and that the council has sought expensive advice.
“Consultants have done very well while local businesses have tried to support the Port in many ways trying to keep it afloat. Then there’s another couple of hundred grand in consultancy fees stacked against it. We can’t win. The Council has stacked every debt imaginable against the Port account. There has been no transparency, it’s all been done behind closed doors.”
Mrs Butts fears that ill-informed councillors from over the Hill, some of whom are newly-elected, may determine the fate of the port.
“This has got the same smell as the TDC’s handling of the Tarakohe Office block sale. This was a political decision that has not produced the promised jobs or benefits for the community. When Fletchers passed over ownership of the Port for a token amount, they believed the TDC would look after the best interests of the community and the adjacent land owners. I believe they’ve failed miserably and its time to change.”
“Selling the Port will not be an easy option. Private ownership usually means public access is denied. Try walking along the Motueka Wharf or the private wharf areas in Nelson.”
