by Coman Tait

The library book acquisition budget slashed from $402,500 to $211,000

No less than 80% of Kapiti residents belong to our libraries: There are 41,619 active borrowers according to Ian Littleworth, KCDC Libraries & Arts Manager. It is the highest library membership in NZ.¹

How does KCDC treat us? It declares war and punishes readers by halving what is spent on new books. At the same time, it happily spends $9.33 per swim as a subsidy for those using the Aquatic Centre. [See the previous Official Information request response.]

This subsidy means a person using the pool just 4 times a week is getting gifted $1,940.60 a year. While ratepayer money flows in a torrent into the Aquatic Centre, the book budget tap is turned down to a trickle. The amount for books per library member is a mere $5.06 per year.

The original budget was totally insufficient. Compare KCDC to Wellington. Wellington has 111,929 library members out of a population of 211,000 (53%). Yet they spent $2.9 million on new books in 2018. That is $25.91 per reader. To be comparable KCDC should be spending $1,078,000 pa. KCDC is short by $867,000

The reason for this massive cut, to an already parsimonious spend on books? It is clear the Mayor and councilors have decided readers have to be punished by making them pay towards repair of the Waikanae Library  leaks. That is Council’s view of what is fair, what is just. Library members have to pay for Council’s negligence.

The Mayor takes no responsibility. No councilor is responsible. The CEO is not responsible. No staff members have been fired. The humble reader is the only one punished by not having new library books.

Morrison Low did an independent investigation into leaking at the library. It sets out the negligence of KCDC in very clear terms. The investigation showed it was “widely known that the building leaked and leaked badly”. This is from back in 2002. Nothing was done to solve the fundamental flaws in the building. No councillor ever raised the issue until it was too late. So late it is costing $2 million to repair.

The Mayor’s attitude is clearly set out in his re-election campaign. In a full page ad in the Kapiti News of 7 August he says “Empower our Community Boards” He goes on to say “To empower them I will support Significantly increasing council funding of the boards”. So his vote was to decimate library book acquisitions. That money will go to pet projects. By the time the bureaucracy for this is set up, there will be another $1 million frittered away.

Forty one thousand, six hundred residents who have shown their interest in reading are ignored. Readers clearly have no political clout. Quiet peaceable book readers will have to be satisfied with reading the same book 100 times. Is that is what they deserve? Certainly no new books for them.

Reading and mental health

A world leading neuro-psychologist says:

“In readers, the occipital lobe, the visual processing center of the brain, was more developed. This means that the readers could process visual information more efficiently. This brain trait could translate into enhanced imagination and creativity skills as well as being able to visualize the future better for decision-making and planning. The readers’ parietal lobes were also strengthened. The parietal lobe turns letters into words and words into thoughts. It’s essential to writing and reading comprehension.

“Reading helps people’s brains process information both visually and verbally more effectively. Brains that can’t read might also struggle to process verbal information which could be why a slow reader may lag in other academic areas. Reading improves every aspect of a person’s communication skills.”

 “How Reading Increases Your Emotional Intelligence & Brain Function: The Findings of Recent Scientific Studies”, explains how important reading is for well-being. The Mayor and KCDC reject all this evidence

The Mayor wants a hospital in Kapiti. Hospitals are the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. Reading is part of the fence at the top. It can ward off depression. It can maintain wellness, so important in an aging population. Reading gives perspectives of other cultures, of other traditions. It inspires innovation. But that is apparently irrelevant in Kapiti. Ephemeral pet projects are the Kapiti solution to creating a brave new world. But what does one expect from those declaring war on readers?

Will library users docilely accept the war declared on them by this Council? One suspects that writing submissions will be pointless. That involves reading.

Readers — take to the trenches!

1. There are approximately 41,619 active borrowers with 253,900 library visits across the Kapiti Coast District.

Most readers will remember this was one of Mayor Rowan’s expensive grand notions, which proved less than satisfactory in reality.

And the District Plan process just keeps on going, costing big money…

With the Arahaura arriving in the colour scheme it had from 1983 to 1989 plus a Ganz Mavag electric unit in the original scheme from 1982. The distinctive feature of Waikanae depicted seems to be vegetable growing, although that occurs around Otaki. The old Rolls Royce-like car can only be a reference to the Southward’s museum.

Waikanae people have the Park Avenue Market every Saturday morning, but for those interested in trying the one south of the river for a change, here is some information about a location change.

Paraparaumu Beach Market is a Saturday morning tradition for Kapiti, attracting people from far and wide to sample our local produce, crafts and arts, and get a taste of what we’ve got to offer. –Darryn Grant, KCDC Economic Development Manager. 

A great institution

By Roger Childs

Farmers Markets are a regular feature in many countries and they serve both a commercial social function. A great range of vegetable and fruit are on offer and the suppliers often exhibit amazing mental agility in tallying up the cost of your many items. But you can also buy bread, coffee, snacks, jewelry, crafts, art work etc…

As well as the leisurely food and gift shopping there is always the chance you will meet up with friends and neighbours, and occasionally someone you haven’t seen for ages. 

The need for a permanent home

The Beach market is currently located between Seaview Road and Marine Parade north of Maclean Street. However, this area is destined to be re-developed and the search has been on for some time to find a new site for the Saturday morning buying and selling. 

A possible venue suggested some years ago was in The Landing near Mitre 10, New World and other shops, where there is plenty of space available. However, the local Paraparaumu Beach Business Association didn’t want to lose it, because of the visitors it attracts and the flow-on benefits it has for local shops, cafés and service providers.

The move to Maclean Street

Market operators, Warwick Halcrow and Kevin Jones, have been working with the Kapiti Coast District Council and the Beach Business Association to keep the institution in the area. The solution is to use Maclean Street – the main shopping zone — and close it for parking while the Market is operating between 5 am and 3 pm.

Basically, the stall holders would be able to set up their businesses where the car parks are currently located, allowing people to access the permanent shops and cafes along the footpaths and the Market stalls along the road.

“Ensuring the Market continues to operate is not just about us though, and it’s not just about buying and selling things. We often call it our community centre without walls. We’ve built a wonderful venue for people to come together and that’s a very special thing,” says Warwick Halcrow.

The local Business Association is delighted. Spokesperson Sharon Hunter says, “Moving to Maclean Street is a big win-win for everyone. We see a significant increase in visitors to the Paraparaumu Beach township each Saturday because of the Market and making it even easier for those visitors to access and enjoy our shops and amenities is great news for our local business community.” 

Approval and timing

Subject to relevant approvals, the Market will relocate to Maclean Street from Saturday 5 October 2019.

Any person affected by the closure may lay a formal objection with the Kāpiti Coast District Council no later than 28 days before the proposed closure. This means formal objections must be received by 6 September.  Objections can be made directly to the Council. 

While bylaws about keeping junk in front yards are understandable, bylaws that tell people their grass can’t be longer than 7 inches (about 18 cm) seem like a creation for a Diploma Course in Petty Red Tape and Officialdom.  (It is, of course, a good idea to keep lawns mowed, otherwise it’s an advertisement for burglars that no-one is home.)

A quick perusal of KCDC bylaws does not reveal any such requirement here, fortunately.

We’re closing in on the point where everything not explicitly permitted by the government is forbidden. From Dagny Taggart at theorganicprepper.com:

A few weeks ago, I noticed a woman standing in my neighbor’s yard doing something I thought was pretty damn strange: she was measuring blades of grass with a tape measure.

Then I noticed the city truck parked on the street.

Turns out, the woman was with codes compliance or whatever they call it…apparently, her job is to drive around looking for reasons to harass and extort people for things like tall grass.

When I realized who she was and what she was doing, my next thoughts were “Are there not real problems in this city that need attention? There are people who drive around and measure grass for a living? And these employees are paid with taxpayer money…to extort taxpayers?”

It isn’t like there aren’t real problems in this city. Like most regions in the US, there are things like potholes, traffic light outages, crime, and other random issues that, to a logical thinker, seem more pressing than the height of residents’ lawns.

Since when did having tall grass become a crime?

In many parts of the United States, allowing your grass to reach a certain height will lead to an unpleasant visit from the Grass Gestapo. I know, because it happened to me a few days after I spotted the Lawn Police measuring my neighbor’s grass. We were the lucky recipients of a letter informing us that OUR grass was too tall and that if we didn’t address the “violation” there would be consequences.

So, we mowed the grass and thought the issue was resolved.

A few weeks later, we got another letter from the city. Apparently, we are now on some kind of lawn maintenance watch list.

Here is an excerpt from the second letter. I have added my own observations and commentary (the parts in bold and italics):

An inspection of the above described property (so much for private property – pretty sure this is trespassing) was conducted and the following violation of the [redacted for privacy] municipal code was observed:

On 06/25/2019 you were sent a letter stating the following violation. Once again on 07/23/2019 I inspected your property and the grass and weeds were again exceeding the allowed 7 inches. (Again, this woman admits she trespassed on our property)

VIOLATION:

All premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 7 inches in height. All noxious weeds shall be prohibited. Weeds shall be defined as all grasses, annual plants, and vegetation, other than trees or shrubs provided; however, this term shall not include cultivated flowers and gardens. (Now every property “owner” is expected to be able to identify noxious weeds and other plants? I’m surprised the city hasn’t hired botanists to come out to identify each and every piece of vegetation on every yard and fine us per plant.)

Any owner of agent having charge of a property who fails to cut and destroy weeds after service of a notice violation, they shall be subject to prosecution in accordance with (code redacted) and as prescribed by the authority having jurisdiction. Upon failure to comply with the notice of violation, any duly authorized employee of the City or contractor hired by the City shall be authorized to enter upon the property that is in violation and cut and destroy the weeds growing thereon, and the costs of such removal shall be paid by the owner or agent responsible for the property. (Translated: We will trespass on “your” property whenever we want, and there is nothing you can do about it.)

Also in accordance with state statutes (redacted for privacy), if weeds are allowed to grow on the same property in violation of (code redacted) more than once during the same growing season, no additional notification is Department of Planning and Community Development required and the weeds will be cut by a contractor employed by the City with the cost thereof placed as an additional special tax on the property if it is not paid within 30 days of receiving invoice.

Additionally, if it is determined that compliance is not met, a citation may be issued in the (redacted) court which will require an appearance in Court and may include a fine of up to $1000 per day (What the heck?) that the violation is allowed to occur. (This is extortion. What if a property owner is disabled or injured and can’t afford to hire lawn service? What if they are in the hospital? What if they just happen to like tall grass?)

(Full article here)

Five parking spaces at the station marked with this sign raised questions on social media during the week.

The reasonable interpretation: “two or more people may be in a car here between midnight and 9 am Monday to Friday.” Car presumably includes a station wagon or SUV.  No stipulations seem to be implied as to what activities are allowed or restricted…

A prunus campanulata which is flowering rather early. There is a great photo of how the species can look on the Leafland website here.  Ben comments this one in Hemi Street “looks like maybe driven over by a car when young.”