Hi Vis Heaven

I frequent places where it is compulsory to wear hi vis gear.

Places where there are trucks, forklifts, vehicles , more trucks and lots of activity.

Places you may say are slightly dangerous if you don't keep an eye open and be observant to the goings on.

Hi vis and road cones can be over the top in some situations and  there is some push back because of the expense which is now beyond the pail.

Hi vis spreads like a virus and I spied today about fifteen suits in a paddock wearing  hi vis vests which underlined the overkill by officious bureaucrats that were meeting in a paddock to discuss a problem conjured up by computer modelling , that would never eventuate , never occur because lighting doesn't strike twice in the same place , yet here they were looking all important with the odd clipboard and concerned looks on their faces as they pondered how to waste ratepayers money on   a scheme that would never be used .

These hi vis suits have been captured by the results of an event that is over .It happened. It conquered us briefly and slammed us against a wall.

It's too late now. The horse has bolted. 

This belated effort to shut the door is costing millions and any effort to try and talk commonsense , reason, take a practical approach has been lost .

The suits win.

They have the high salaries , the fancy names , the computer modelling skills, the degrees so who are the wise to question them.

It's what gets me in the end.

They are using our money , that is ratepayers money to scatter in the wind. A total waste and then they come for more and threaten us if we object.

     

 

 Continuing Frustration

Following the two year meetup of flood friends it  was notable that considerable frustration was evident among those trying to put their lives back together.

It was all coming from one source and confirms  my belief that the closed ears of one authority in particular , is the root of many problems.

It is likely that we will never gain any ground in trying to find common ground or meaningful dialogue as long as the same staff remain. There is a bureaucratic resistance in place that is likely because of loss of faith or just some miniscule admission of fault.

Fault does not mean that any one person should be responsible for a very complicated situation but fault should be admitted in the sense that no one was prepared for what happened that day and major contributing factors came from an accumulation or a series of   events that added to massive damage.

The response has been to appear to be fixing the problem when in actual fact they are spending millions in the wrong areas.

I also discovered the Regional Council made a curious decision on rates that may mean they are breaching the Bill of Rights .

Hastings DC simply remitted rates for two years .They could see that any attempt at picking and choosing who should pay rates following such a major event , would be fraught with difficulty.

The Regional Council however implemented a policy where affected persons had to apply for rates remission.

This puts staff in a terrible position.

The exercise has become and intrusive, personal, means testing of ratepayers who differ from each other in their situations like chalk and cheese.

There are corporates, small businesses, retired folk, life style blocks, farms,  professional people and absentee owners.

Where does one draw the line.

It is discriminatory to say 'a' should pay rates but 'b' is exempt.

This is not a normal situation where rates remission is considered.

This is a big fail from the RC.

Added to the frustration is the fact they are basing the rates on valuations struck the year preceding the flood.

This is another reason they should have remitted all rates until after the next valuations are due.