The Waikouaiti Coast Community Board just scraped by for a quorum at last week’s meeting, as several board members were away on other duties.
Board member Andy Barratt took over the chairman’s duties, in the absence of Alasdair Morrison, for the meeting attended by Mark Brown, Sonya Billyard, and Cr Jim O’Malley.
Due to other commitments, Geraldine Tait arrived late at Karitane Hall, entering towards the end of the meeting.
In the public forum, the board heard from Waikouaiti resident Ruth Ferguson, who raised concerns about a section of the lagoon walkway, which traversed an old landfill site.
During a walk there, she had discovered that landfill items were coming to the surface, including an old tyre, paint tins, and old medicine bottles.
"The surface appears to be wearing away and exposing the old tip site, which is hazardous,’’ she said.
Ms Ferguson was exploring options about removing contamination at the site with the Otago Regional Council, but asked the board to help keep an eye on the situation.
Waikouaiti Garden Club president Stuart Brown, requested $610 in funding for venue hire, printing, and prizes for the Waikouaiti Community Spring Show.
Later in the meeting, the board allocated its remaining $500 in discretionary funds to support the show.
An application from Waikouaiti District Museum for $300 towards buying a flag for the power pole outside the new facility, was deferred to the next meeting, when the board would have a new allocation of money.
The board also heard from Dunedin City Council environmental health officer Tanya Morrison and policy analyst Anne Gray on the Keeping of Animals (excluding dogs) and Birds Bylaw.
Board member Mark Brown asked about possible conflict between rural properties and surrounding residential properties in relation to noise from animals.
The board appointed a subcommittee to look at making a board submission on the bylaw.
