The Waitaki District Council still faces a High Court challenge to resource consents and compliance certificates it issued last year for 16 new dairy farms in the Omarama and Ohau areas.
Retaining existing businesses and industries in the Waitaki district and determining what impediments there are to expansion is the subject of a survey being undertaken by the Waitaki Development Board.
Federated Farmers is concerned having two competing electricity generators operating power stations on the Waitaki River could affect irrigation in North Otago and South Canterbury.
Waitaki district is prospering despite the world-wide economic recession, doing better than the New Zealand average in economic growth and with a static population.
A five-member steering committee established to look at riparian enhancement of the Waitaki River, including establishing a salmon hatchery, will present its findings to a public meeting at Glenavy next month.
The Government is unlikely to fully implement a report which recommends sacking the elected Environment Canterbury regional council, replacing it with commissioners and splitting water management from the other functions of the regional council.
An overall rates rise of 1.8% has been approved by the Waitaki District Council in its draft 2010-11 annual plan, which will now go out for public comment.
Waitaki District Health Services, operator of the Oamaru Hospital, has recorded a small loss for the first six months of this year and hopes to at least break even at the end of the financial year, despite forecasting a major deficit.
The Waitaki Power Trust has joined growing criticism over the Government's plan to force Meridian Energy Ltd to sell its Tekapo power stations on the Waitaki River system to competitor Genesis Energy Ltd.
cThe Waitaki District Council supports the decision by Environment Minister Nick Smith to "call in" the associated consent applications for controversial intensive dairy farming proposals in the Omarama and Ohau area.
The Vanished World fossil and geological trail around the Waitaki district is to get a higher profile to boost visitor numbers, with help from Meridian Energy Ltd.
Police are boosting their numbers in the Waitaki Valley during the Christmas holiday period in an attempt to quell the type of disorderly behaviour which disrupted Otematata at Labour weekend.
People used to dealing with the hydro generation issues of the Waitaki River are struggling to see how two competing power companies can work together to use the same resource wisely.
One man's rubbish being another man's treasure is the thinking behind a new scheme funded by the Waitaki District Council to the sum of almost $75,000 over two years.
The Waitaki Valley will come of age tomorrow as a wine region with the official opening of its first winery and cellar door east of Kurow on State Highway 83.
The Waitaki District Council has defended a substantial increase in its building-consent fees, despite a concern it could hinder development during the economic recession.