Hylton Rhodes

THE TAURANGA CITY COUNCIL MUSEUM COMMITTEE - (The Museum Steering Committee)

From 2002 to 2004 I was a member of this very secret committee, along with Crs Mary Dillon and Stuart Crosby, two Western Bay District Councillors, four Maori representatives, the Newton St Taonga curator and two general public members.

This secret Museum committee was in no way democratically elected from the public at large.

Cr Michael Jones of Western Bay District Council is currently the Chairman and a driving force for the expensive museum out over the water. Western Bay District Council has so far not committed itself to any of the museum’s construction or running costs.

Most of the above unelected committee members are paid generous attendance remunerations ( but not the Councillors or staff.)

I was very unpopular on this Museum Committee as I alone opposed the New Plymouth Puki Ariki, Wellington TePapa, and iconic Sydney Opera House dream models. I wrote letters to The Weekend Sun and BOP Times and spoke with Lorraine Murphy on radio about costs.

The current Whakatane and Opotiki Museums are the way to go.

At Opotiki a three story high, architecturally designed, state of the art building has an 1800 square metre display area which is substantially greater than Tauranga’s proposed iconic dream. It is a great building to look at and visit and cost only $1.5 million.

I personally suggest the Museum be put on hold for a few years and try and make the Art Gallery work.

Finally, most of the Newton St storage collection Taonga will forever remain at cost in storage as the proposed waterfront dream is to concentrate on hands-on, technological gimmicks – to be an iconic, must –see, 21st century different sort of museum.

From The Chief Executive Of TCC.

Lining up the Ducks.

As we draw to the elections, a number of different subjects are getting airtime from potential candidates and the general; public alike. One of the more contentious of these has been the museum project and the feeling that Council staff have been railroading the project with some form of hidden agenda.

To ensure ratepayers have as clear a picture as possible regarding the museum project, I would like to confirm the two main reasons why Council staff have been so active in progressing this initiative.

First and foremost – the Council made a resolution last year to proceed with the Museum project, with a view to opening the facility in 2011.If staff were to ignore this resolution then they would be defying the democratic process.

The second reason relates to funding – when Council made their resolution to proceed with the Museum, they did so on the basis that 50% of the total construction cost would be sought externally from rates. To this end, funders need to be sure that Council has all of its ducks lined up in a row to give them a level of confidence that their funding will make a positive difference to the project. This means ensuring things have been finalized so there is a level of assurance in the project proceeding. If these things have not been achieved, funders are less likely to want to get involved in such a project, meaning the likelihood of achieving the external funding target is significantly reduced. One of the sources of external funding that will be sought is from a central government bucket. In order to have a realistic chance at this funding (which could be as much as $5M), Council must be able to show significant knowledge and progress on the planning elements of the project.

There is a final consultation process and decision point for the Museum project in March next year.

Stephen Town
Chief Executive.

1.	Mr. Town talks about “ defying the democratic process” if action not taken. But to have taken this action against the clear results of the Keystone phone survey is the real defiance of the democratic process.
2.	Mr. Town categorically states that the museum over the water will not take Place if the external funding is not achieved. However the Baywave pool at Grenada Park was not to go ahead either if external funding was not achieved. It was not and yet that project still went ahead .Baywave is now subsidized annually to the tune of $1.5M and one of Pick 6(sorry – all of Pick Six) want this subsidy increased!!! I say, ‘ Vote 4.’
3.	Four years ago the Art Gallery Steering Committee and Mr. Stephen Town asked for a one-off never to be repeated, final request 1.8 million dollars as full and final settlement. Now Stephen and TCC have agreed to fund the Art Gallery a million dollars plus every year ‘til the end of time. Now can you see why I twice voted against Stephen Town’s performance bonus?

Hylton Rhodes with the Shield. Go The All Blacks!

Profiles amusing

The candidates’profiles for this year’s council elections made amusing reading,especially those from some long-standing,serving members who said the same things three and six years ago and have still not delivered.

I feel sad for the new hopefuls’ “I’m going to sort them out” enthusiasm.If one or two do get elected,the reality of the council machine will quickly grind them down and bring them to heel. They will learn that if you are not in the A-team you won’t get anywhere.

They will learn,too, that power is the only factor in local body politics and,thanks to the Local Government Act 2002,that power resides in the hands of the chief executive officer and the mayor.

What a new councilor thinks is irrelevant – unless the mayor wants your vote.

Perry Harlen
Mount Maunganui