With swimsuit fashions of the time. Taken in Paraparaumu Beach on Boxing Day, 1958.

Available here (pdf).  It consists of the usual waffle, plus the important details on what the council plans to spend  — and how it plans to raise the money.  The figures contained on page 15 are different from what has been stated elsewhere.  There is something wrong, and a small group of us are trying to find out what it is.

Update

This e-mail to Bernie Randall from the KCDC Rates Manager identifies the reason for the discrepancy from the LTP figures as the change to capital based rating. From a technical consideration, land is simply the unimproved site value; capital includes the value of improvements: the paths, drives, landscaping and buildings.

Good Morning Bernie

I have been advised that you consider that the Council may have changed the Rates Methodology for the calculation of the 2016/17 Rates.

I can confirm that no change has been made to the Rate Types for the proposed Setting of the 2016/17 financial year.

In the 2015/16 Annual Rates we changed the Community Wards Rates from land value based rates to capital value, we merged the Regulatory Rate into the Districtwide General Rate and reduced the differential wastewater rate for those Rating Units with multiple toilets or multiple dwellings.

There is no general revaluation of the Rating Units in the Kapiti Coast District this year, therefore the increased expenditure in the Council’s 2016/17 budget will be directly reflected in the estimated rate increase of 4.6% for the average property. However, as the Council use a mixture of targeted rates for wastewater, roading and community facilities as well as the rates which are based on the property’s rateable land and capital value, the effect of the budget increase can vary because properties have a different mix of rateable valuations.

Properties with a higher than average land and/or capital value in most cases have a higher level of annual rates than those with lower rateable values. Therefore when the proposed increases to the 2016/17 Rates Types occurs more in the fixed Targeted Rates rather than the Land/Capital Value based Rates, the annual $ increases are in tighter range, approximate $70.00 to $130.00.

The percentage increase of a rate increase of $106.00 on a property of with an above average land/capital value is lower than an percentage increase of $95.00 on a property with an average valuation. For example the average property in Waikanae with a land valuation of $204,000 and a capital valuation of $400,000 will have an estimated rate increase of $106.60 (total estimated rate $2,367), would have a 4.7 per cent rate increase. Whereas a property in the Waikanae Ward with a lower land valuation of $115,000 and a lower capital valuation of $262,000 would have an estimated rate increase of $101.40 (total estimated rates $1,852.90), which is a percentage increase of 5.79%.

I trust this explanation will be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you wish to discuss this further.

Yours sincerely

Brent Waterhouse

We visited this exhibition this morning and were impressed by the talent on display. Many hours must have been spent on each one of the models. House and shops interiors from various parts of the world were prominent with some exteriors, and a selection of other subjects.

In about a third of the hall, model makers were at work on new projects.

Ian of Kapiti Furniture Repairs (phone 905 6441) also makes and sells model trucks out of (we assume) native wood. The cargoes are well detailed..

Like the Kite Festival in Otaki last weekend, this was again held in perfect weather.  We showed up about 11 am and a school group were singing a Maori song on the stage (second pic), while there were many more stands around than are normally seen on the Saturday markets on the edge of the park.

I feel sorry for the senior folk of Waikanae that the Council will not listen to
their plea for the Waikanae Pool to remain open until Easter for Aquafit
classes [the pool closes for the season on Saturday 19th, ed]. These classes are an important source of active lifestyle for seniors and are of immense therapeutic value. They also earn income for the Council as they generally charge $5.50 per session.

Some of us already anticipated that the Council would decline the request as
their attitude in pool matters seems to be “my way or the highway.” Trying
to get information from KCDC about the Aquatic Centre is also very frustrating.
It was shown to be the third most secretive area council in 2014 and nothing
has apparently changed.

For instance, KCDC will not reveal the original estimated pool usage for the
Aquatic Centre, which some say was 650,000, saying the matter was confidential to protect commercial information. Surely not! What other commercial body would be remotely interested in the projected pool usage? Ratepayers would like to know, as the current usage last year was 202,237 and dropping, denying council less revenue while pool costs are going up over budget.

Bernie

A letter from the council sent to us by its recipient, whose identity has been withheld at his request.

Unfortunately, Mr Dougherty was reappointed by the council last May until August 2020 so Kapiti ratepayers are stuck with him until then.  However, the disfunction and bad decisions that he has been responsible for are going to be an issue in this year’s general council elections.

I was handed a letter today from Mr Dougherty, warning me of police intervention, because of my having paid my water bill and rates [at the council offices]. Mr Dougherty stated that council is currently reviewing internal procedures for dealing with trespassers, and staff will be advised to contact Police if I attempt to enter the council offices at Rimu Road.

I am expected if I have an enquiry or to pay bills to go to Waikanae or Otaki or
make a written request to the Customer Services Manager.

Mr Dougherty seems to be suffering from several forms of personality disorder.
Consequently, a certain amount of what he does and his decision processes are
impacted by megalomania and egotism, or narcissism.

The Mayor and councillors have a duty to reign in Mr Dougherty’s irresponsible
exercise of power, which has already cost the council both in litigation and in
moral standing. Personal vendettas and ego are no way to conduct council
business and treat ratepayers.

Mr Dougherty also saw the need to again deposit his libellous implications with
the police in seemingly trying to build up a very false impression of my
character with them.

Consequently. I have handed a copy of the following letter to Kapiti police,
attn. Snr Const. Lee Greedus, and handed the letter to the service desk at KCDC premises at Rimu Road.

I will continue to undertake legitimate business at the Rimu Road premises as
and when required, as I have done for several dozen years.

Later today I was arrested, and was at the police station for 2 hrs 30 mins, finger printed and photographed for willful trespass. The police were friendly chaps. I was given the option that if I acknowledged the trespass the matter would be dropped with a warning. However, I said that I cannot in good conscious concede to the legitimacy of a trespass notice based on flagrantly false, vile allegations.

The initial appearance at court will be Porirua, Tuesday 5 April, 9:00 am.

Nice going, Dougherty. It must be an example of the KCDC being ‘open for business’, His Worship willing to listen to all, and another example of Dougherty’s narcissistic intransigence against ratepayers.

K R Bolton

11 Beachwater Gr

Paraparaumu Beach 5032

9041987

7 March 2016

A P Dougherty

Chief Executive

Kapiti Coast District Council

Dear Mr Dougherty

In response to your letter of 7 March 2016, warning me as to Trespass from the
175 Rimu Road building:

I had legitimate business being at Rimu Road on 29 January and 26 February,
paying my water rates and my quarterly rates. On both occasions these
transactions were undertaken in the same amiable manner as have all my dealings with staff over the course of 24 years. My partner, Kathy Thomson, suffers from “essential tremor”. This condition can change minute-by-minute. It is aggravated by stress. Given the belligerent attitude of yourself and the majority of councillors, I am uneasy about Kathy entering the Rimu Road premises; it is unpleasant enough for myself.

The suggestion that I pay rates etc. at Waikanae or Otaki is an unjust burden.
Further, I do not use debit transactions for any dealings. Your demand that I
only contact staff by first writing to the Customer Services Manager is
presumably meant to imply that I am a dangerous character, for which there is
no justification whatsoever. The insinuation is another baseless libel.

Should you wish to exempt me from paying rates and any other bills or charges, that of course would be agreeable, especially considering that I have been denied the same rights as other ratepayers without just cause. I would therefore have no reason or desire to enter the premises.

As we both know, the basis of the trespass notice against me is bogus. Unlike
private property, trespass from public property must be based on something more substantial than a whim or vendetta. Such matters have been considered by NZ courts and the Ombudsman.

Oddly, the bizarre allegation of my attempting to assault Cr Holborow has never been put to the test of cross-examination. The allegation remains a standing defamation for which a majority of councillors, aided by yourself, are responsible. Until that libel is retracted the matter cannot rest. However, should you re-issue a trespass order on some other basis such as breaching standing orders by speaking, or some-such, at least this would be tolerable; not on the basis of the despicable Holborow lie. These matters are with the
Office of the Ombudsman, and the …….  is examining the conduct of Cr Michael Scott.

You were provided with two opportunities by Snr Sgt Anita Dixon and by Deputy Mayor Mike Cardiff to settle matters amicably, and rebuffed both. The situation is of your making and that of the majority of councillors. There is no just reason why I should pander to such miscreance and accept inconvenience based on nonsense.

Yours sincerely

K R Bolton

Cc: Snr Constable Lee Greedus

A good opportunity to experience interesting facets of our indigenous culture is provided by this mini-film festival over 5 days from 23-27 March at the Civic cinema in Otaki (turn left at the roundabout and head west for about 2 km) and associated events nearby.

Programme on the website

Details on the KCDC website