We noticed one in our Puriri tree this morning, from his singing to us, although he wasn’t too cooperative in posing for a photo. 🙂  This pic is from NZ Birds On Line, a handy and informative website about NZ’s native birds.

From Vernonica Harrod: A range of historic firsts have been taking place at Horowhenua Lake Domain Board meetings in Levin since new board chair Jenny Rowan took up the role earlier this year. A former mayor of Kapiti Coast District Council Ms Rowan, who represents the Board on behalf of the Director General of the […]

via “Lake Horowhenua is on private land – it should not be seen in this century to be the local sewer for everyone else’s rubbish and pollutants” — Rangitikei Enviromental Health Watch

The alcove facing the main Mahara Place square has been given a little beauty treatment: a couple of orange feature walls contrasting with the white, and a rectangle of vertical vegetation (artificial, but you can’t tell until you’re up close).  Sue Lusk pic.

Signed Howard Smith and dated 1980.

Here is the page from the agenda of last week’s Audit and Risk Committee meeting covering matters that were talked about in secret.

As has been mentioned before, they are always the most interesting items: why does the council want to keep them secret?

Particularly notable in this list is “Water Safety Programme”.  Er, yeah?  Does one or more council staffer think the drinking water may not be safe?  If so, why?  The council doesn’t want anyone not on the committee to know.

For general interest, the report of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) on Local Authorities 2016-2017 is here.  It contains a list of things which the government audit office looks at and how local authorities measure up, with some examples.

Issues which the OAG needs to look at in KCDC’s case include:

• How have council contracts been awarded?  We know that many have not been subject to competitive open tender. What is/has been going on?
• How much scrutiny is given to the recipients of awards and grants on how the money has actually been used?  We have been told a disconcerting allegation about a large grant given to Zeal.
• How much scrutiny is given to members (including staff members)’ interests in decisions, particularly ones made in secret?

Concern expressed by some at the time of the changes last September that the 30-minute parks in some of this area were another revenue grab by the council seems to have been unfounded.

Still, you wonder how often a patrol is made.

The kakariki is the green parrot, a name which also occurs in the Kapiti Coast’s most southern town Paekakariki, which means the perch of the green parrot.

“We’re starting our District-wide seasonal spraying this week, which means our contractors will be out and about spraying our walkways and cycleways to keep them weed free and safe for everyone to use. All going well, we should have it all wrapped up by the end of next week.

“For spraying we currently use a low concentration Glyphosate mixture, as well as other methods to control weeds (such as hand-release, grass seed over-sowing and high-density planting to smother weed growth) wherever it’s practical.

“Consideration of public safety, effectiveness of the product and cost to the ratepayer are all evaluated when carrying out this type of work. While we’re aware of some concerns about Glyphosate, all herbicides and pesticides we use are applied in accordance with the HSNO Act and Regulations, and application rates are as specified by the manufacturer. Our contractors use the spray in low concentration, they spot-spray visible weeds, and the spray dries quickly. Low-drift nozzles are used so there’s no spray drift.

“A few other local authorities have trialled alternative methods (for example, steam). Over the long term we’ll continue to consider how we can reduce the use of Glyphosate (e.g. plant-based herbicides and physical intervention), with the longer-term intention of phasing-out the product.

“We also operate a ‘no spray’ list which you can apply to be added to, which will mean the road reserve outside your property isn’t sprayed.”

This obsession with replacing exotic vegetation with native exists in NZ, too.

Herbicides damage the soil by killing beneficial microbes and mycorrhizal fungi that facilitate the movement of water and nutrients from the soil to the tree roots.

Attempting to eradicate non-native plants is NOT a short-term project.  It is a forever commitment to using herbicides…LOTS of herbicide.

Article