Newsline 285 - 5 October 2012

Friday 5 October 2012

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You can also download Newsline 285 - 5 October 2012.

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Free Dog Microchipping 

“Microchipping is the best tool we have for reuniting lost, stolen or stray dogs, with their owners. We encourage all dog owners to microchip their dogs as early as possible” said John Bergman Tasman District Council Animal Control Officer.

Tasman District Council is reminding dog owners to microchip their dogs. From October Council will be taking a more proactive approach to ensuring that the requirements for microchipping, under Section 36A of the Dog Control Act 1996, are met.

Microchips:

  • are the size of a grain of rice and implanted under the skin just forward of the shoulder blades going up the neckline
  • carry a number unique to your dog
  • are a transponder which responds to a scanner
  • are not a transmitter, there is no power source
  • details are kept on the National Dog Database, managed by the Department of Internal Affairs.

Those dogs required by Law to be microchipped are:

  • Dogs classified as dangerous or menacing
  • Dogs impounded as unregistered or dogs impounded more than once.
  • Dogs registered for the first time after July 1, 2006.

Farm working dogs (defined as those that are kept solely or principally for herding or droving stock) are exempt. No other working dogs are exempt.

Microchips can be implanted by a veterinarian, the SPCA or in some instances by Council Animal Control Staff. Charges for the implanting process vary, however there is no charge for adding your dogs microchip details to the National Dog Database.

Failing to have a microchip implanted in a dog is an offence the penalty for which ranges from an Infringement Notice and associated fine of $300.00 to prosecution and fine not exceeding $3000.00. Dog owners are given a warning and opportunity to microchip their dogs prior to the issuing of any infringement Notices.

Council has sourced 500 microchips which it will implant free of charge over the month of October.  This offer will only be available to dogs currently registered in the Tasman area. See the table below for times and places where the Tasman District Council will be offering free microchipping.

Free Dog Microchipping Dates:

Richmond: Dog Pound 121 Beach Road (175 chips)

  • 09 October 11.00 am – 1.00 pm
  • 23 October 11.00 am – 1.00 pm

Motueka: Council Service Centre (150 chips)

  • 09 October 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm
  • 23 October 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm

Takaka: Golden Bay Recreation Park (100 chips)

  • 11 October 11.00 am – 1.00 pm
  • 18 October 11.00 am – 1.00 pm

Murchison: Council Service Centre (75 chips)

  • 16 October 11.00 am – 1.00 pm
  • 25 October 11.00 am – 1.00 pm

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Message from the Mayor 

Recently I presented the Council’s submission on the proposed local government reforms to the Government’s Local Government and Environment Select Committee. 

A key amendment proposed by the Government is directed at changing the purpose of local government currently contained in the Local Government Act 2002.  At the heart of the current purpose are the four well-beings – environmental, social, cultural and economic.  The Government believes local government’s focus should be on meeting the current and future needs of communities for good-quality local infrastructure, local public services, and performance of regulatory functions.

It is the social, cultural and environmental well-beings that allow the Council and the community to recognise and cater for the unique differences that exist within Tasman. The proposed reforms pose a very real danger to how people can determine the growth and development in their settlements.

The Government believes the need to cater for community focused well-beings has created a confusion regarding the role of councils.  They believe this has resulted in councils undertaking a new range of activities causing rates to increase at unprecedented levels.

There is no sound data, robust analysis or evidence to support that view. In fact, there is a far greater weight of evidence showing it is Government imposed legislative demands and requirements that have far greater impact.

It is important the Select Committee listen to the submissions and look carefully at the implications of the proposed Bill.  While we all strive for economic growth it is not the defining factor of a community. The growth and development of settlements, large and small, are to a large degree determined by the values of those who choose to live there. These values are given weight by the four well-beings.  Focusing on one economic driver is fine if we all have the same view of the world, however, it is obvious this is not the case in Tasman.

All councils have a focus on delivering services at an affordable cost to their ratepayers and already the bulk of our costs are focused on infrastructure. It would be very wrong, however, to limit further the small amount of investment we make to support the differences in our unique communities.

Mayor Richard Kempthorne

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Mapua Waterfront Park Nears Completion 

The 18-month development of the Mapua Waterside Park is drawing to a conclusion with the 3rd stage on track for completion before Christmas.

With the sewerage pumping station upgrade complete this stage of the park development can begin.

The development will include  public conveniences, a fence around the water pump shed and shade shelter,  along with a concrete path to connect the car park on Tahi Street with Aranui Road and the estuary channel. Further tree planting is planned for the site in autumn next year providing additional areas for people to enjoy the park’s features and the estuary it borders.

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Dispose of Unwanted Medicines 

Old medicines are a risk to yourself, your family and your visitors. Like food, medicines can go off if kept for any length of time. Plus, you should only use recently prescribed medicines as that prescription from last year might not be appropriate now.

During November 2012, another DUMP campaign (Disposal of Unwanted Medicines through Pharmacies) will be held.  In the last campaign, 9,882 items were returned to pharmacies for disposal. These medicines and packaging weighed 346kg (imagine a pile of 346 pineapples for an equivalent amount of medicines). The cost of these medicines was about $55,000 – equivalent to three hip replacement operations or 13 cataract removals.

The 2009 and 2010 campaigns, funded by Nelson Bays Primary Health, also provided information on the type of medicines returned, which helps to target medicines more effectively and reduce waste. There are many reasons why medicines are not taken, such as “the symptoms got better” or “the doctor changed the medicine” or “it made me feel worse”.

So this November is the perfect time to spring-clean that bathroom cupboard. For more information please contact your local pharmacy or Caroline Allen on Ph. 03 539 1651 or 0800 731 317 or Email caroline.allen@nbph.org.nz

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Grow Your Own to Cut Food Bills 

A solution to high grocery bills lies in your own backyard. Pricey salad vegetables such as cucumber and radishes can be grown at a fraction of the cost of the supermarket product.

The next Create Your Own Eden workshop will focus on crops that are high-value. Tutor Adrian Myers will also cover how to grow food and what to plant when, plus the basics such as home composting and creating healthy soils. Adrian, who is a trustee of the Waimarama Community Gardens, and very green-fingered, will also be available to answer questions.

The workshop is at the Nelson Environment Centre on Saturday 13 October 2012, from 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm. The centre is in Braemar Place, Nelson off upper Franklyn Street, opposite the hospital.

To register for the workshop, contact Elizabeth Hovell, Ph 03 545 9176, or Email info@nec.org.nz

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Enviroschools Teachers Re-energise 

Top of the South teachers received a tune-up in Enviroschools at a hui in St Arnaud recently. The two-day gathering of about 50 people heard from the Enviroschools national director Heidi Mardon, plus a couple of teenagers enthused by the programme to promote sustainability and love of the natural environment, from preschool to college level.

Workshops covered ecological principles, how to energise lessons, sustainability issues, and “upcycling”, or reusing “junk”. The hard work was sprinkled with fun activities such as Canadian canoeing and “Claire Grylls’ Bush Skills,” led by a toughened outdoorswoman with an uncanny resemblance to Tasman District Council Environmental Educator Claire Webster.

The hui, based at Rotoiti Lodge Outdoor Centre, was co-funded by Tasman District, Marlborough District and Nelson City Councils, plus the Enviroschools Foundation and Mother Earth foodstuffs. Feedback from teachers was very positive and they have asked for more such hui in the future.

Nelson-Tasman has one of the highest Enviroschools rates in the country, with 43% signed up.

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Get Acquainted With Your Toby 

Some people don’t know what a toby is, others don’t know where their toby is, and a few people, even if they find it, can’t turn it off in an emergency. A toby is the tap that controls all water flow to the house from the water main and it may need to be shut off in a hurry if a pipe bursts or natural disaster strikes. Routine maintenance such as replacing a leaky tap washer also means the toby must be closed.

Because they are not used very often, tobies can stiffen or rust up, and the problem is made worse by opening them until they jam at their maximum limit.

Tobies only require a few turns to release full flow. Please check that yours works – better now than adding to your woes during a natural disaster.

Tobies are usually located on the boundary at the front of your property, under the black plastic lid. If you can’t find it, give the Council a ring and customer service staff will direct you to the precise location.

If the toby proves stubborn to release, don’t try brute force because it may break. Again, give the Council a ring and a service-person will be dispatched to free the tap up or replace it.

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Kiyosato Mayor Returns to Tasman 

Mayor Kushibiki last visited Tasman from Kiyosato in 1990 and returned last week with a group of 23 students and six adults, staying in Motueka for five nights. Delegations from Kiyosato and Motueka visit each other regularly as part of the Friendly Town Partnership, enhancing cross-cultural understanding.

Motueka and Kiyosato’s relationship is supported and promoted through the Friendly Town Committee, which operates independently of Council. Richmond has a similar partnership with the Japanese settlement of Fuji Machi and has it’s own Committee.

During his visit Mayor Kushibiki visited Tasman District Council’s office in Richmond where he observed a citizenship ceremony then met with the Mayor and Councillors informally over morning tea.

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Outstanding Community Service Awards 

Half a dozen tireless volunteers were honoured by the Tasman District Council recently with Outstanding Community Service Awards. This issue we profile Kaye Halkett and Barry Cashman.

Kaye Halkett

Richmond resident Kaye Halkett, who is partially sighted, served on the Board of Trustees for Waimea College for four years. She has also been on kindergarten committees, and volunteered for reading recovery work at Henley and Nelson Intermediate schools.

Kaye is a member of Blind Citizens, helping to organise outings for members, including to the museum and Suter gallery. “Just because you are blind doesn’t mean you aren’t interested in the visual arts,” she told Mudcakes and Roses magazine. The latest outing involves a personal talk at the Suter from carver Tim Wraight, and the Spectrum radio crew came along to do a programme on how you don’t need 20/20 vision to appreciate art.

Kaye is part of the Council’s Accessibility for All group, raising awareness of the difficulties faced by impaired people in their daily lives. She recently did a survey of the sandwich boards, flags and shop wares waiting to trip up the sight-impaired in Richmond’s Queen Street.

She is not easily daunted in her own life, going on long tandem-cycle tours with husband Lawrie. Kaye also rows in a “blind” foursome that includes one fully sighted member. This month she walked the Heaphy Track with family.

“I try to find a way to achieve something rather than let it be a problem.”

In their younger days, Kaye and Lawrie did a “life-changing” 21 months of Volunteer Service Abroad in Nepal, helping to plant out the Mount Everest National Park.

She says she felt like a beginner amongst the other Community Service Award recipients, but announced, “Oh well, I’ll just have to keep going…”

Barry Cashman

Barry Cashman has clocked up half a century of service to the Golden Bay community.  He continues a long family history of involvement with the Takaka Citizens Band – although he doesn’t play –  and recently took responsibility for ensuring the historic band rotunda at Pohara was reroofed, repainted and well-maintained.

His other community service included: Takaka Primary School committee, founding member of the Golden Bay Promotion Association, on the Pohara Beach Domain Board for 24 years, Takaka Rugby Club, Golden Bay Recreation Park, the Bay Museum Committee, Heritage Golden Bay, the High School reunion committee, giving assistance to the Pupu Hydro Society, and sitting on the Golden Bay Community Board for six years, followed by two terms as a Tasman District Councillor.

Barry says a friend recently went through that list and they totted up 266 years of service.

“You say you’re going to pull back but it’s damned difficult to do,” he says with a laugh.

Present involvements include the historic plaques in Takaka, the band and the Masonic Lodge. Barry is also involved with the Takaka wastewater treatment plant working group as a resident member.

The retired plumber has also not retired as a plumber, running a workshop to make flashings etc. (He began his working life in 1956.)

Barry says giving back to the community is also a family tradition. His grandfather Jim Page was a councillor on the Takaka County Council – his name is on the 1928 foundation stone of its headquarters, which is now the Tasman District Council Service Centre. Barry’s dad Jim and mum Rona also gave their time generously to many groups in Golden Bay.

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Beach Clean-up Time Again 

Volunteers took a staggering 7.5 tonnes of rubbish off our beaches last year, and the annual clean-up for our favourite summer playground is gearing up again for Saturday 10 November 2012.

Clubs, groups and businesses have taken to the spring-clean of about 295km of Tasman Bay coastline. This is the event’s third year, and about half of the 50 individual stretches of beach have already been “booked” by returning groups, encompassing hundreds of volunteers. The event is organised by the Department of Conservation in partnership with the Tasman District Council, Nelson City Council and Nelmac Ltd.

The rubbish collection has obvious benefits for summer beach-goers, but also safeguards marine animals and birds. Plastic bags and bottles washed out to sea can be a killer for whales and seabirds that mistake them for food. A blue whale found dead on Nelson’s north-west coast last year had nearly 4m of rope in its gut.

Groups can reserve a section of beach on the DOC website. They are ranked easy, medium and difficult in terms of ease of access and terrain, so groups with appropriate skills are required for the harder sites.

With low tide at 12.30 pm on 10 November 2012, all groups are encouraged to make their sweeps early. If the weather is bad the clean-up will be held on the Sunday 11 November 2012.  

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Horror Crash Becomes Safety Lesson 

A speeding car spins out, hits an oncoming vehicle, leaves the road and lands upside down in the harbour. Two young passengers are killed and three other people in the oncoming car are seriously injured.

The crash at Pauatahanui, near Wellington, in 2009 was devastating for the families involved. It has inspired a road safety initiative called The Ripple Effect, aimed at helping young drivers and passengers to stay safe. Making good choices in life is the theme of a 20-minute DVD based on a crash. That presentation is followed by the father of one of the young men who died speaking about the crash and life afterwards for family and friends.

The resource was prepared with funding from Porirua City Council, and has been taken to almost every school in Tasman and Nelson in conjunction with the councils and ACC. Krista Hobday, Road Safety Coordinator at Tasman District Council, says The Ripple Effect is aimed at helping young people to make good choices about a range of social issues, not just in driving, and speaking out if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable in any situation.

"There is a lot to be gained in speaking out if you think your mates are travelling too fast or driving in an unsafe fashion,” she says. “Getting into a car with your mates to go for a night out on the town is not necessarily bad if you do the planning – deciding who is the sober driver, how you are getting home, and looking out for each other. Getting into a car and doing 140 km/h is just not cool. It is all about making good decisions, and understanding the consequences of those decisions."

The Ripple Effect charts the impact that a single event can have across friends, families and the community. “So many people were affected by that horrendous crash," says Krista. "We need to educate our young drivers to make sure these crashes do not occur, because this truly was a crash which didn't need to happen.”

The target age group is 14- to 18-year-olds. For more information, go to  www.therippleeffect.org.nz