Kia Ora,

The new CEO for Rodney District Council, Rodger Kerr-Newell, set off a bomb he would not have expected when he sent a letter which had been 'prepared by others'.

The letter was replying to chemically-sensitive residents who had written to him seeking removal of chemical sprays from 'roading maintenance'.

 [*]  See http://www.villagepress.co.nz/A-shapenz/ceo-mislead.html

Residents also want the CEO to understand that the 'so-called' "Spray Free Register" does not work. And even if it were adhered to it would still not work.  The idea on which it is based is flawed. Spraying poisons into the unstable roadside atmosphere is disastrous. Spray drift distributes chemicals as far afield as smoke from a fire and imperils not only those who know they are chemically sensitive, but also those who do not yet know. Impinging on skin, lungs and other sensitive areas the gradual accumulation of sprayed poisons may move anyone to the tipping point at which an allergic reaction occurs.

Historically in Rodney the problem of chemical sprays has been the source of numerous battles as chemical have been proven toxic and banned.  In Rodney, spray-free roads were established. – the result of vigourous action by Ratepayers assisted  by past councillors principally (then) Crs Elizabeth Foster and Christine Rose (now ARC deputy Chair) acknowledging the importance and seriousness of the problems. Two major petitions have been presented to Council; one with 2000+ signatures the other with 5000+ - in neither petition was there any suggestion of associated 'improprieties'.

For years, RDC maintenance has been run without qualified and registered roading engineers on staff. With neither academic qualifications nor business experience the staff have naturally accepted the advice they were given by the contractors regarding frequency, method,  and cost – with the best will in the world, such advice could not be unbiased.

In our opinion contracts should be awarded to hands-on operators directly, thus avoiding the cost of the contract company's highly paid administration and its shareholder dividends.

There is one potential bright spot; Rodger Kerr-Newell has already announced that he will reduce the number of private 'Consultants'. It is to be hoped that this means knowledgeable and qualified staff will be employed directly.  With the current salary scale council can comfortably afford the best; staff who will have knowledge that goes far beyond following the possibly self-serving advice/instructions given by Contract company staff.

 If neither of the above suggestions is followed then the jobs should be done only when needed, and not as often as the contracting company decides; the latter leading to increased profits for the contractor and a waste of Ratepayers' money. A clear example of this is when the satisfactory rotary slashing of unsealed road is followed by chemical spraying -- with negative Tourist reaction -- even though spray contractor boss, Graham Andrews, told a KRA and Mahurangi West Landcare meeting in early 2007 that an unsealed road does not need to be sprayed.

We believe that the CEO's 'prepared-by-others' letter, referred to in the opening paragraph, is grossly, perhaps deliberately, inaccurate in saying of an organic spray alternative, "Interceptor [is] five times more expensive and less effective than products we currently use". What these "products" were, is unstated.

We think Rodger Kerr-Newell should investigate that statement closely. We also believe the claimed qualifications of RDC maintenance staff should be carefully validated.

We note the wording used it the letter is: "we currently use".  The Contractor would use such a phrase, but from RDC staff it should surely have read: "being currently used".

-- PER, Managing Editor