Pedestrian safety concerns
During the public forum, local resident Charlie Gilligan addressed the board regarding his concerns about the lack of safe pedestrian crossings on Factory Rd and Bush Rd.
He outlined the dangers for residents, particularly the elderly and those with limited vision, along the about 5.3km stretch from Wingatui Racecourse to Riccarton Rd.
Mr Gilligan said he suffered from macular degeneration and found it treacherous to navigate the area.
He told the board he had collected 71 signatures from residents who supported the installation of crossings.
Mr Gilligan asked the board to advocate for legal pedestrian crossings to prevent accidents as the population aged and more families moved to the area.
"I cross the road, I put my life in my hands," he said.
Meeting times discussed
Members discussed the timing of future meetings as well as meeting in locations such as Henley and Outram to improve engagement.
Board member Brian Peat suggested Dunedin Airport as a good venue as it was a major employer in the area.
The board confirmed its next meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 18.
Community plan
Chairwoman Rebecca Shepherd noted that as a newly elected board, members had not had sufficient time to assess the merits of the current Mosgiel-Taieri Community Plan to see how it fit with their vision.
She proposed deferring any amendments until after the board held a strategy workshop in a few weeks and board members agreed.
Community engagement funding
Mrs Shepherd sought support for the board to have a presence at the Taieri A&P Show and the Party in the Park.
These events were traditional engagement opportunities for the board.
Previous costs for the A&P Show site had been about $55 plus entry fees, while costs for the Party in the Park were yet to be confirmed.
Mrs Shepherd requested an allocation of up to $400 to cover costs at both events, which the board approved.
Board portfolios
Mrs Shepherd proposed deferring the allocation of most portfolios to allow new members time to identify their strengths. However, she noted an immediate need for a communications lead to manage social media and community engagement and nominated board member Rose Finnie for the role, which the board approved.
Workshop a key opportunity
In her chairwoman’s report, Mrs Shepherd expressed her pleasure at working with the new board and highlighted an upcoming strategy workshop as a key opportunity for the board to get to know each other and formulate their plan for the term.
Visits for councillors
In her report, Councillor Cherry Lucas noted an intensive hands-on induction process for new and returning councillors, including site visits to facilities such as the former Fortune Theatre and viewing community housing.
She highlighted results from the recent Residents Opinion Survey, noting satisfaction with community boards had dropped from 40% in June to 24% in September.
She suggested this presented an opportunity for the board to improve its communication.
She noted upcoming council agenda items, including changes to the road naming policy to speed up developer approvals and discussions on issues such as housing and homelessness.
