A total of 25 people, including representatives from Federated Farmers and Active Southland, put their hands up on Monday, speaking to councillors about their submissions for the long-term plan.
Topics included support for the sale of assets and the desire to either see events canned or continued, and the terms "nice to haves" versus "have to haves" were thrown around liberally.
The rising rates were a highly contentious issue, with plenty having their say about the three options, being 9.9%, 12.25%, or 24.25%.
Or for some, the desire to have none of the aforementioned, instead calling for the sale of assets and a complete overhaul of council finances rather than rate increases.
Parata Anglican Charitable Trust member Mary Pullar and chairman Peter Hargest spoke to the growing unaffordability faced by the elderly population.
Mr Hargest said there was a growing number who were struggling to make ends meet.
"My mind goes back to the elderly woman my sister encountered, who couldn’t meet rate commitments that year.
"Rates and insurance had gone up.
"The elderly people are feeling it," he said.
Both called for a change in the qualification for the rates subsidy, to allow the older population with no way of increasing their income more wiggle room with paying.
Farmer Hamish Mackay also threw his hat in the ring with a passionate endorsement of both amalgamation and the sale of assets by the council.
Mr Mackay said the community was tired of the direction council was heading in and asked if the "tail was wagging the dog" or if the operational branch were making more decisions than the elected members.
The council was set to head away for deliberations yesterday, hopefully coming up with a final decision on what option to take.
The document is due for final submission in June.
The final decision was to be made after the Ensign’s deadline.
