WDC

A $352,000 deficit is not worrying the Waitaki District Council because it would have made a surplus if not for some unexpected expenditure and drop in income during the 2009-10 financial year.

The Waitaki District Council has appointed councillors to its new committees, but plans to review how it is operating by June.

Waitaki ratepayers paid their 10 district councillors and Mayor Alex Familton a total of $301,000 in remuneration and travel allowances last financial year, $20,000 more than in the previous year.

Waitaki residents will get the chance to dispose of old computers and other electronic products for free next Saturday.

The Waitaki District Council has made a big change to its structure, replacing its five main committees with a single "committee of the whole".

Tuesdays or Wednesdays - what appeared a simple decision on what day of the week the Waitaki District Council will meet turned into a confusion of motions and counter motions yesterday.

A final decision on building a pipeline costing almost $600,000 to take Oamaru water to Weston consumers will be made by the Waitaki District Council at its meeting on Wednesday.

Extremely strong winds fanned a controlled burn on Lake Ohau Station on Saturday, carrying ash and sparks about 500m away.

Farmers will be able to get advice on how to reduce irrigation energy bills at a workshop in North Otago being run jointly by the Waitaki District Council, Waitaki Development Board and Irrigation NZ.

Concerns about clouds of odour coming from composting chicken carcasses and manure on properties in the Palmerston area have led to numerous complaints.

East Otago's water supplies will receive a $1.8 million upgrade to meet new drinking water standards - but how ratepayers will pay the cost has yet to be decided.

The Oamaru Victorian Heritage Celebration next month has received a $5000 boost from the Waitaki District Council.

A carrot-and-stick approach will be used to stop freedom campers dumping litter and effluent.

Parents of babies living in the Waitaki district from next month can be more environmentally conscious under a new subsidy scheme for cloth nappies being launched by the Waitaki District Council.

Stormwater and sewerage systems in Oamaru and Weston will come under the spotlight over the next two months in a Waitaki District Council investigation.