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In this edition of Clutha District Council E-Newsletter:

Deputy PM to open newly sealed roads

Deputy Prime Minister and Local MP Bill English will officially open the newly sealed Karoro Creek and Ahuriri Flat roads on behalf of Council this Saturday September 19.

The two roads are part of the Kaka Point loop of the Southern Scenic Route, connecting the township (and the iconic Nugget Point Lighthouse Road) to the Owaka Highway and The Catlins.

Mr English will officially open the newly sealed roads at the Willsher Bay Domain at 1pm on Saturday 19 September 2009. Karoro Creek Road will be closed from about 12.45pm to 1.10pm to allow for the 1pm ribbon cutting, so anyone intending on travelling from the Owaka Highway end to attend the ribbon cutting should allow themselves the extra travel time to ensure they can get through.

Following the ribbon cutting, there will be a mass ride through of motorcycles from the Penguin Motorcycle Rally, which should make for an impressive spectacle, and then the ceremony will adjourn to the Kaka Point Hall for afternoon tea.

The $1.65 million sealing project was funded with assistance from the Regional ‘R’ Fund, made available by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) through the extra 5c fuel tax which has been levied per litre of fuel sold since 2005.

Through the fund, NZTA pays about $1.16m of the total project cost. The remaining $0.49m is funded by Council by way of a loan.

The 4.84km sealing of Karoro Creek Road and 0.84km sealing of Ahuriri Flat Road had created a much safer travelling environment for locals and tourists alike.

All Kaka Point/Nuggets residents, as well as the wider community, are invited to attend the official opening and afternoon tea at the hall.  

More ratepayers urged to check rebate eligibility

Council is encouraging more ratepayers to check their eligibility for a rates rebate, even if their income exceeds the threshold figure given as a guideline by Internal Affairs.

Ratepayers could still be eligible for a rebate if their income exceeds the $21,910 threshold guideline.

For example, a married couple for whom NZ Superannuation is their only source of income this year receives $27,570.  If their rates exceed $1,200 they are entitled to some rebate, and if their rates exceed $2,000, they are entitled to the full rebate of $550.

Council staff believe the $21,910 threshold guideline figure may discourage some ratepayers, who are in fact eligible for a rebate, from applying. We’re encouraging any ratepayer who believes they could be eligible for a rebate to get in touch with us and find out.

More information about rates rebates is available from your nearest Council office or Service Centre.

Council neutral on Clutha hydro options

Council has agreed to remain neutral on Contact Energy’s proposals for new electricity generation on the Clutha River.

Contact is currently considering options for further electricity on the river and recently gave an informal briefing to Councillors on its plans.

Council has agreed that it will remain neutral on the issue and wait for all options to be announced before deciding on whether to take a different stance.

Owaka public toilet replacement

Planning is underway to replace the Owaka public toilets, which are dated and unable to cope with the increasing number of tourists visiting the Catlins area.

Council has approved a budget of $130,000 (+GST) in 2009/10 to build new toilets in a suitable location near the Owaka Museum to help manage visitor demand.

The Catlins Promotions group has also suggested the new toilet facility have a unique feature such as plantings surrounding the toilets and painted panels depicting the Catlins area.

The next step in this project will be to confirm the cost of the toilets and then confirm whether the additional work can be undertaken and how this might be funded.

Meanwhile, the upgrade of the Kaka Point public toilets is complete, including roof replacement, spouting, internal carpentry, painting and new signage.

Oiling of Roads applications

Residents seeking to have dust suppression applied to the unsealed roadways fronting their properties by Council’s contractor must have a completed application form returned to us by Monday 5 October 2009.

If you wish to apply the dust suppression yourself, applications for this are accepted from September to February. Again, a completed application form must be returned to Council.

All application forms need to be completed annually. Forms can be downloaded from the Council website by clicking here, or by visiting your nearest Council office or Service Centre.

Non-Spray Register

As part of our ongoing roading maintenance, spraying will continue throughout the year. If you would like your property frontage added to the Non-Spray Register, please visit the Council website by clicking here, or contact your nearest Council office or Service Centre for the terms and conditions and an application form. Applications close on 1 October 2009.

Please note that the register is cleared on a three-yearly basis. If you have previously registered, a form will be sent to you to reapply this year.

Online Community Directory

The Community Directory lists about 300 groups, committees, sports teams, and associations from throughout the district.

If the contact details of your sports club or community organisation have recently changed, please email your updated details to jamie.shaw@cluthadc.govt.nz so we can keep the online Community Directory up-to-date.

The Community Directory can be viewed on our website by clicking here.

Upcoming Meetings

Don’t forget to check out the Events page on the district www.cluthacountry.co.nz website for a comprehensive list of upcoming community events.

Clutha District Council

1 Rosebank Terrace

Po Box 25,Balclutha

(03) 419 0200

www.cluthadc.govt.nz