RUAPEHU MOUNTAIN CLUBS ASSOCIATION (INC.)
Address: 6 Harvest Court,
PARAPARAUMU
Secretary Treasurer: John Rockell
Phone 04 298 1440
Fax 04 298 1446
Email
5 April 1999
NEWSLETTER 17 – APRIL 1999 This is just a quick note to update Clubs on recent developments, and to tell you of the work being undertaken on your behalf by RMCA in the near future. We will come back to you with developments when we have some substantive news. Hut Licence Rent Reviews You will all have received a letter dated 10 March from DoC advising that the Department will not be seeking a change to the annual rental set in 1996 (the date of the last 3 year review). I have contacted valuers Brett Smithies of Darroch (who did the original negotiation with DoC and the valuation in 1996) and Malcolm Hanna who helped with the original negotiations. We need to be satisfied that “no change” is appropriate. You will remember that the 12.4% increase in valuation in 1996 was based more on CPI movements than on Ohakune land prices which had moved up about 44% between 1993 and 1996. We would expect that movement to have reversed between 1996 and 1999. When RMCA receives advice from the valuers we will make a recommendation to the Clubs and forward the supporting data. It is of course up to individual Clubs to decide whether to accept DoC’ s no change valuation or not. Sewerage: Ruapehu District Council has decided it does not need to be involved in the sewerage scheme and this has led DoC and other scheme participants to look again at transferring ownership and governance to a community owned utility company which would contract to DoC for provision of waste water reticulation and treatment. The RMCA representatives on the Sewerage Project (Ross Campbell, Brian Anderson and Alan Thompson) had a useful “full and frank” discussion with DoC on 22 January 1999, where we pointed out that the ball was firmly in DoC’s court to come up with an acceptably costed solution for sewerage treatment and disposal. We want the cost down substantially from the last estimate of $5.3 million, and the disposal site has to be acceptable to all, close, and cheap with no resource consent problems. We also need to find an acceptable way of dealing with Ruapehu District Council’s preliminary expenditure costs of $580,000, not all of which will be appropriate for a changed scheme and no or less Council involvement.
Paul Green took all that on board, and has called a meeting on 9 April between all interested parties including the Conservation Board, Iwi and the Department of Conservation. Your RMCA representatives will be there pushing the Club’s interests and working to get the best possible low cost solution – which is unlikely to be implemented until the mountain community gets at least one good year under it’s belt. We will let you know what the outcome is. Community Services Meeting 1 April Bill Chrystall will attend for RMCA – and I hope there will be other Club representatives there as well. You will have received the data from DoC in February. There seems very little that is contentious, but we will let you know of any problems. I have sent copies of a response received from DoC to my comments on the Draft Whakapapa Water Supply Asset Management Plan to those clubs in Whakapapa Village who are the only ones affected. DoC have sent out a revised draft which those clubs will have received. Records of Club Addresses and Office holders: Could you please mail, fax or E Mail John Rockell with any changes to the above data – we do not want to lose you. The club addresses seldom change but at AGMs there will have been changes in your committees. John and I can often find it useful to have the names and addresses, home and business phone and fax numbers of President, Secretary, Treasurer and those who would deal with sewerage, hut licences and building compliance issues. If changes will be made after an AGM please make a note to inform John as soon as possible. If you have any comments, questions etc don’t hesitate to contact John Rockell or myself (04 475 8090 phone & fax – ) That’s it for now – keep up the clean living and prayers for snow. Even the weather forecasters are saying we should get a normal winter – now that’s a worry! Ross Campbell President