The Teviot Valley and Maniototo Community Boards met simultaneously, but the talking points could not have been more different.
In Roxburgh, the Teviot Valley Community Board met to consider and hear submissions made to the Central Otago District Council long-term plan 2021-31 regarding its key project, the Roxburgh Community Pool upgrade.
The board settled on the council’s preferred option of funding a new pool on a 50:50 loan-reserve basis, comprising $250,000 from loan and $250,000 from general ward reserve funds — but not before hearing submissions from three of the 24 submitters to the plan.
In two cases, those submissions supported the pool upgrade but urged the board and the council not to forget the Millers Flat War Memorial Baths.
Millers Flat School principal and Millers Flat Baths committee member Hilary Spedding said ratepayers in Millers Flat should not have to contribute to a pool they would never use.
Millers Flat Baths chairwoman Deborah Dons said she had also chosen "do not fund", but that should not give the impression the organisation did not support the upgrade.
"In the meantime we have this beautiful warm pool down the way, completely run by volunteers."
While the council provided an operating grant ($15,000), Millers Flat Baths did not ask for additional funding from the council, she said.
The make-up of the Teviot Valley was heavily weighted towards superannuitants and she was concerned about rates burden.
"I think it’s a bit tough."
John Rowley said he did not believe all funding avenues had been investigated fully and cited various alternatives before issuing a challenge to Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan and council chief executive Sanchia Jacobs to question him, alleging their silence spoke volumes.
Both declined.
Meanwhile, at the Maniototo Community Board meeting in Ranfurly, submitter Raylene Hansen had the floor to herself as she railed against Maniototo being left out of the plan.
Her primary concern was the Halls Ford Bridge, as she and other Patearoa locals were inconvenienced by its closure following flooding in January.
"We all know that the top bridge up in the Styx is closed, the bottom bridge at Patearoa had a pretty ordinary repair job done — there’s still a big hole in the bitumen on the bridge deck and great vertical gaps in the railings at each end — and the bridge on Scott Lane suffered an even worse fate than Halls Ford Bridge," Ms Hansen said.
She said "weasel words and contradictions abound" and the consultation document had nothing concrete for Maniototo.
On Wednesday, the Cromwell Community Board resolved to recommend to the council that the library and council service centre in the Mall not be demolished subject to design work.
It also recommended the council start work on both the town centre and arts, culture and heritage projects — including a new at least 2000sqm hall.
