The hearing of submissions by a panel of seven councillors, led by Cr Duncan Butcher, on the council's draft long-term plan began yesterday in Dunedin, with the day dominated by Taieri landowner concerns.
David Cooper, of Federated Farmers, said it was disappointed there had not been an economic assessment of value for this year's long-term plan, especially after last year's reclassification of rating areas.
"This isn't just because it is farmers that are footing a huge chunk of the bill. It's because we don't think the way you fund the schemes accurately represents the value of flood protection and drainage."
A review of other council's funding approaches, showed Otago's differed except for the case of the Leith scheme, which captured both direct and indirect benefit.
"Not one of them has a general rate contribution below 16% and in most general rate contribution to flood protection or drainage sits around 20% to reflect the wider community benefit."
However, in the east and west Taieri drainage schemes farmers paid 100% of the rates and 96% of the rates for the lower Taieri flood protection scheme.
Only 2% was paid by the general ratepayer.
"We want funding for flood protection and drainage to recognise the strategic importance of the Taieri area, particularly the airport."
Taieri farmer Michael Lord said the airport was vital to the city and the Taieri was used on a regular basis by city recreation groups such as cyclists and car groups.
"It's not about the airport paying more, its about recognising the community benefit."
If the rates were apportioned more like those in other centres, recognising that benefit, it would "ease the burden on Otago farmers by a significant amount".
"I could not be a sheep farmer and pay these bills."
Taieri farmer Colin Scurr called for a 20% contribution from general rates to the Lower Taieri scheme and that bridging and road work to be 100% paid for by general rates as was the case with the Leith.
He also suggested 20% of the revenue for the east and west drainage schemes be funded by 5% regional general rates and 15% by Dunedin City Council general rates.
"No indirect benefit was recognised in the flood and drainage scheme rating classification that was reviewed last year."
Yet state highway, rail and airport access was all protected by the schemes, he said.
Taieri farmer Simon Parks said he believed an independent economic assessment of the true benefit of the Taieri schemes to the city was needed.
"This scheme's funding mechanism lacks credibility. There are anomalies . . . the rating review never addressed."
Outram farmer Ian Bryant said a study he had commissioned from a University of Otago PhD student of the wider benefit of the Taieri drainage scheme, showed the wider community benefit should equal paying 22% of the scheme's rates, while the direct benefit was 77%.
If this was the case, then why were only 300 ratepayers footing the bill for draining infrastructure such as State Highway 1, the main trunk railway, Dunedin airport runway and apron, he asked the panel.
East Taieri farmer Alan Scurr said the new subdivisions on the Taieri were increasing storm-water and water runoff, which was causing water to stay on his land longer, yet those people were not helping to fund flood protection.
"The way we're rated at present it's the local farmers that pay, but they're not the cause of the problem."
• Outram farmer Fred Doherty was one of the West Taieri farmers who submitted against the proposal to upgrade one of the area's flood pumps at a cost of about $1 million.
"We're far from agreed that a flood pump [upgrade] is necessary or should happen in the timeframe suggested by the regional council."
Farmer Ian Bathgate questioned why the council would spend such an amount when in six years' time a new consent to pump would be required with "no guarantee that it will be granted".
• A broken flood warning machine on the Pomahaka River drove Tapanui farmer Robert Kane to call for the council to replace the system.
The machine was the oldest of its kind in Otago and allowed farmers to get instant information on flood levels in the Pomahaka River but it had "very little life left in it", he said.
Although there was a flood monitor at Leithen Glen, it was too high up the river to record some tributaries' contribution to the river and took too long to dial into.
"People at our end of the valley really need the machine.
"If the machine isn't fixed we might have to go back to sticks in the river."
