Otaki Community Board chair, James Cootes, welcomed people to the September 2 meeting, stating Kapiti Mayor Ross Church and KCDC staff members were delayed by a road accident. The meeting would begin with public speaking and grant applications, he said.
Public Speaking & Responses:
Amelia Carpenter
, on behalf of the Voice Through Your Hands organisation, thanked the Board for the funds which allowed the open workshop to be held. She reported a very good response from the community.
Ricki Baker and Barbara Rudd:
reported back on the successes of the Waka Ama Girls team at National Secondary Schools Champs which won the trophy for the all-round top team, on and off the water. The team were congratulated on their success.
Patrick Jos
reported back on successful trip to Australian National tennis tournaments. He won 22 of his 32 matches. He thanked the Board for the Sporting Activities Grant he received.
Graham Kerr
spokesman for the Otaki Lions Club said the club was looking at possible projects for the Otaki region, including a cycling pump track. Mr Cootes noted a Reserves Fund priority this year was for a junior skatepark, although the Reserves Fund could be an appropriate source of funds. Conversations are to continue between Lions and OCB.
Ann Lawler
spoke to her opposition to a $300,000 splashpad for young children at the Haruatai Pool. A basketball court and BMX track for Otaki’s teens were a more urgent need.
She also spoke to her Annual Plan submission regarding the KCDC proposed closure of the Otaki iSite and the lack of tourism publicity for the Kapiti Coast. Mr Cootes said he was a “stickler for accurate information” stating it was not a KCDC desire to close the iSite. Formal discussion on the iSite was scheduled for later in the agenda.
Mike Chase:
Spoke of the need for a mobile stage and sound system, particularly for outdoor community events, such as the Waitohu School Fireworks Extravaganza; hireage of sound systems and staging can be very high $2000-$5000 per event. Mr Cootes suggested district wide use might have more appeal for KCDC and suggested a submission go to the next Annual Plan.
Grant Applications:
Community Grants Fund: The Otaki Volunteer Fire Brigade
was granted $500 towards expenses of holding their annual Honours Night, with presentation of long service awards to recipients having given from five to 43 years’ service to the Fire Service. Councillor Penny Gaylor spoke on behalf of the Brigade, as members were attending a serious road crash. She acknowledged the work of the brigade in the wider Otaki district.
The Lions Club of Otaki
application for $500 was spoken to by member Victoria Livingston. The funding to assist with set-up costs for the club, particularly leading to their Charter Night and full recognition within the international organisation.
Sporting Activity Grant Fund: Jan-Maree Brown was granted $500 to attend the World Long Distance Triathlon Championships in China, as a member of New Zealand team. She attended the 2012 championships in Spain winning a gold medal and world champion title.
Losaria Eriha
spoke to the Whiti Te Ra Netball team application for funding for team equipment –for the 2015 season. This team, begun in 2011 is made up of mums who hadn’t played netball since leaving college, they play in the Saturday tournaments in Levin. They were granted $500 towards their costs.
The Rahui Football and Sports Club
application for $500 to assist with costs to host the Heartland Rugby match between the Horowhenua-Kapiti team and East Coast. The event would bring a lot of visitors to Otaki. OCB member, Colin Pearce spoke to the application, the club spokesman attending the road crash.
Mr Cootes told the meeting he didn’t want people to think grant applications weren’t taken seriously, but had been fully discussed and agreed to, prior to the meeting. Mr Pearce and Ms Gaylor were given permission to speak to two applications because of the circumstances at the time.
: Members gave a brief overview of their community involvement over recent weeks, including discussions on Otaki footpaths, public transport, a night with the Otaki Community Patrol, noise complaints, Otaki Food Bank annual meeting. Mr Cootes and Ms Gaylor congratulated the Community Patrol on its work. “An active police presence and an active community patrol,” Mr Cootes said.
Rationalisation of iSites:
Discussion centred on needs to access information for community and visitors; 80 per cent of enquiries at the Otaki iSite are for Otaki “things”. A Visitor Information Centre would provide all these, would need a very strong digital presence. How would it be funded! Manned? Many local businesses hold local information and brochures, most Otaki Scene “bragazine” are picked up from businesses not the iSite. Ms Gaylor moved that: the OBC requests if the Otaki iSite is closed, council ensures residents enquiries are still provided for. The Board moved the current iSite be closed and a portion of the funding be retained for some form of visitor information in Otaki.
The historic iSite building, the former Otaki courthouse will be retained.
Kapiti Council of Youth presentation:
three members of the KYCgave an update of events and planning, noting four projects in Otaki – a basketball tournament, environmental rubbish bin project at Otaki College, youth forum involving 60 Otaki young people, recruiting new members for 2015.
What did Otaki young people want in the way of a facility? No so much a centre but events , basketball court.
Reserve Fund Priorities update:
Reviewing items for the use of Reserves Funds, the Board added the initial Otaki Beach development concept and a basketball court to the possible list and temporarily removed Te Horo Beach improvements until further discussions have been held with residents. There was a move to have some projects completed before Christmas.
Draft District Policy on Trees on Council Administered Land: Following general discussion, the OCB decided to accept recommendation 15, P68 OCB agenda: … that it did not wish to make a submission on the draft policy.
General Business:
Following discussion on Kapiti being a frack free area, it was noted there is no area near Kapiti Coast suitable for fracking.