Stockton, ‘the largest US city to fail’ (via MikeStk)

Although a city of almost 300,000, Stockton is a place where many families have known one another for generations.

### latimes.com June 27, 2012 | 4:40 am
L.A.Now
By Diana Marcum
Stockton bankruptcy will make history; residents reeling
Officials said Tuesday that Stockton would become the nation’s largest city to seek protection under the U.S. bankruptcy code. The city stopped making bond payments, and City Manager Bob Deis said he expected to file bankruptcy papers immediately. Stockton has been in negotiations with its creditors since late March under AB 506, a new California law requiring mediation before a municipality can file for reorganization of debt. It was the first use of the law, and policy analysts who watched its torturous and tedious progress have titled their report on it “Death by a Thousand Meetings.” Mediations ended Monday at midnight.
Read more

How Stockton found itself so mired in debt can be seen everywhere in the city’s core. There is a sparkling marina, high-rise hotel and promenade financed by credit in the mid-2000s, mere blocks from where mothers won’t let their children play in the yard because of violence.

RELATED:
Stockton will be largest city to fail
Stockton bankruptcy: ‘All that’s left is sadness’ for city
Stockton braces for possible bankruptcy as key vote looms

[MikeStk at ODT Online]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC recruitment process: DVML chief executive position

UPDATED POST

Comment received.

D Smith
Submitted on 2012/06/29 at 12:16 pm

I will try and recap my initial thoughts that disappeared into cyber space…

Clearly the CEO role is a critical position that will help decided the success / failure of the stadium and the corresponding debt burden to Dunedin. Mr Davies was brought on not only due to his venue management experience but also his international contacts and networks to help put the stadium on the world event map. Trying to sell a stadium which was not built or even tested would have been no mean feat (it would pose significant risk to any promoter) and from my perspective he has done a good job in attracting credible events but more importantly it appears has opened up the right communication lines and relationships with promoters. With a credible and now open stadium / event space we should be in an even better position to attract more events to lovely old Dunedin. This position needs someone who can bring not only the management and leadership skills but the ability to bring events into the stadium nationally and internationally.

From my understanding Mr Davies was recruited through an established and proven specialist firm Sheffield who have recruited these senior roles for 30 plus years. They did an international search which included not only advertising but researching the events sector, using their contacts and headhunting appropriate people to ensure the best person for the job could be found (as per ODT article http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/61724/finding-ceo-could-take-6-months). You see people like Sheffield and EQI continually advertising and recruiting these CEO type jobs nationally (ie the recent DCC CEO role).

It is surprising to see the current position is being advertised by a fairly unknown organisation which is part of a local blue collar recruiter. Looking at their website it doesn’t provide a strong background of delivering in this sector, how far do their contacts go, is it just Dunedin, has anyone seen them advertise roles before? Simply posting an advert will only attract people looking at the adverts, it’s a gamble to hope that the right person is looking, as opposed to someone finding the right person and then approaching them. Does this organisation have the networks and experience to research the international market like Sheffield did to find us the best possible person? In the ODT article it said it could take 6 months to find the first CEO, however the current role has a closing date of mid July?

When they are spending $50-85,000 (as per last time) on someone to find the right person is this money being spent in the right place? Did this go to open tender and were Sheffield considered as they have already researched this role 3 years ago and also maybe offer a discount as their first person is now leaving the job?

In a time when the council says they are watching consultants fees and spending one wonders if a key role for the city has been put in the right hands.

With the right CEO who knows what this could mean – positive cashflow? With the wrong person we all know what it will mean…

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Comment received.

Phil
Submitted on 2012/06/29 at 6:41 pm

I would think that they have learnt the lesson from the exercise with Sheffield. Sheffield did nothing wrong, and neither did David Davies. Sheffield were instructed to find a top candidate with experience in managing top level international venues. Which they did. David Davies biggest crime since he arrived was to recognise the venue for what it actually was, and not try and paint it as something which it wasn’t. He has probably been the only practical person in the whole process and it’s a shame that we couldn’t find a place for him within the region.

The problem was that the recruitment brief was wrong. We recruited way beyond the actual means and requirements of the position. This isn’t a stadium in Manchester sitting in the middle of a population base of 10s of millions of potential customers. It’s a rugby stadium sitting in the lower half of an island with a population of 500,000 and a realistic target population of just over 100,000. It never required, nor could it sustain, a European type management structure. Worlds apart. In terms of global sporting venues, this is a blue collar venture, and can be perfectly adequately serviced by the right person within that group. Let’s not make the same mistake as before, and forget who we are.

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Select Recruitment

Related Post and Comments:
22.6.12 DVML chief executive recruitment

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC: The lowdown on scooting

Today, a full page was taken out in the Otago Daily Times by your city council. An introduction to stripy “Strider” bearing a safety message for all children (or adults) who read the newspaper and ride scooters in the city, on footpaths and in playgrounds. (page 10)

Contact person (cuddly FAKE zebra?) is someone called Charlotte Flaherty, “DCC Safe and Sustainable Travel Co-ordinator”.

Could the council think up a more obtuse job title – or position – for a zoo animal?

Looks like the Spooks are a $5 million refuge for lost and mistreated animals. Did anyone tell Animal Control? Looks like some sort of ‘depart-mental’ double up in the Civic Centre.

A full page. Aimed primarily at children; and their parents. Scooting means you can chat to your friends, move independently, be fast, have fun, and be more active.

Wow. Transport to and from school is more than the car’s back seat? We’ve passed the age of cotton wool kids and parent taxis? What just happened there.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Otago Settlers Museum

### ODT Online Tue, 26 Jun 2012
Toitu official after mayor casts vote
By Debbie Porteous
Comments from Dunedin residents deemed as “ignorant” and “thinly veiled racism” were swept aside yesterday as Mayor Dave Cull used his casting vote to break a councillor deadlock on the addition of a Maori name to the Otago Settlers Museum’s title. Mr Cull’s vote means it will now be known as “Toitu Otago Settlers Museum”, rather than the name being referred back to the community development committee for further consideration.

● Cr Richard Thomson “One or two” people had told him they would not like a Maori name for anything. “In fact, a number of views presented to me were thinly veiled racism.”

● Cr Kate Wilson said it was “about time we got over ourselves and allowed ourselves to acknowledge our Maori heritage”.

● Cr Chris Staynes “In this city’s history, we [the council] have allowed a few small-minded conservative individuals to influence us in our decision-making. That should not continue.”

● Mayor Dave Cull described the emails he received about the new name as “at best ignorant” and at worst “just plain bigoted”.

The poll found most people preferred the museum’s name to remain “Otago Settlers Museum”.
Read more

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ODT Online Polls (unscientific):

What is your preferred renaming choice for the Settlers Museum?
54% (1314 votes) said they prefer “Otago Settlers Museum”.

Is Toitu: Otago Settlers Museum the right name for the redeveloped museum?
76% (537 votes) said No.

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Related Post:
31.5.12 The ‘happy’ little renaming of our leading social history museum

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Department of Internal Affairs, ORFU, Centre of Excellence for Amateur Sport, and TTCF

Comment received.

Russell Garbutt
Submitted on 2012/06/26 at 8:38 am

I don’t think that many people realise the significance of the material that Martin Legge has in his possession regarding the activities of the Otago Rugby Football Union, the Centre of Excellence for Amateur Sport and The Trusts Charitable Foundation.

People who have examined the Acklin budget published on this site may not realise the significance of this particular document, but suffice to say that setting up the machinery and entities so that the proceeds from pokie funds can find their way to activities involving professional sport are illegal. Amongst other things.

What is most significant to me is the unwillingness of DIA to actually do their job. While I have been assured personally by Mr Maarten Quivooy of DIA that they take their roles and responsibilities seriously, it is simply unbelievable that the DIA did not pursue what was, and still is, being offered up to them in terms of hard evidence of illegal activities. They are under no misapprehension of what my views of their investigations are.

The “new” evidence that I have offered to the DIA for the most part is evidence that either was in the public domain – eg the email trail involving Mr Curragh who admitted to using pokie funds generated for one purpose for other purposes – or was simple to obtain. One example of the latter is [from] one former employee of the ORFU who has clear evidence of how the Centre of Excellence and the ORFU conspired to ensure that the trail of pokie funds was obscured. That type of evidence was, as I say, simple to obtain and reporters also have knowledge of that evidence as an example.

Some questions need to be asked by everyone of the DIA as to whether they were “persuaded” not to pursue certain lines of enquiry. Is it true for example as has been reported, that a senior MP had an undue influence on whether the Department did their job? Others need to be asked about the lack of accountability within DIA for ineptness, unwillingness to pursue matters and apparent willingness to accept the pathetic responses of people who were intimately involved with rorts, fraud and other illegal activities. The DIA has stated on more than one occasion that the whole setup in Dunedin “smelled” and the parties “got away with it”.

I believe that the DIA even now should meet Mr Legge to explain why they failed to act in light of overwhelming evidence of illegality and I think that it would be extremely valuable if Mr Legge would post his evidence of how this particular scheme worked.

The DIA say that they now have a major investigation underway but cannot or will not let anyone know the subject of that investigation. Mr Legge has, in the past, been told that his evidence was so good that a slamdunk prosecution was imminent. What happened? Nothing.

I look forward to seeing a more widespread knowledge of how these people in our community did what they did.

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Related Post:
22.6.12 Connections: ORFU and local harness racing

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Defamation

ODT has yet to report…

### yahoo.com June 25, 2012, 7:00 pm
Dunedin mayor’s defamation case rolls on
Source: NZ Newswire
Dunedin mayor Dave Cull remains on course for a court date with the defamation case brought against him by former Otago Rugby Union members Wayne Graham and Laurie Mains. Associate High Court Judge Rob Osborne had a teleconference with lawyers representing all parties on Monday. Mr Cull’s solicitor Daniel McLellan said the teleconference was a routine chambers conference and declined to comment further. […] Another teleconference is scheduled for three weeks’ time.
Read more

Related Post:
11.5.12 Dunedin shootout: mafia bosses

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

New Zealand Architects: Pete Bossley, and Ian and Clare Athfield

### radionz.co.nz Monday 18 June 2012
Nine To Noon with Kathryn Ryan
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon

Feature Guest – Pete Bossley
Auckland-based architect Pete Bossley last month won the NZ Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal for 2012. The Director of Bossley Architects is best known for his designs for Te Papa, the Voyager Maritime Museum and the McCahon Artist Retreat in Auckland. (34′00″)
Gallery: Architecture by Pete Bossley
Audio | Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed

10:40 Book Review – Athfield Architects
Written by Julia Gatley, published by Auckland University Press. Reviewed by Jeremy Hansen. (5′27″)
Audio | Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed
http://www.homenewzealand.blogspot.co.nz/

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### radionz.co.nz Saturday 23 June 2012
Saturday Morning with Kim Hill
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday

10:05 Playing Favourites with Ian and Clare Athfield
Ian and Claire Athfield have been running one of New Zealand’s most celebrated architectural practices for over four decades, and their work is celebrated in a new book and gallery exhibition. (40′57″)
Audio | Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Note: *Radio New Zealand misspells Clare Athfield’s first name as ‘Claire’; the error is repeated in their Urls for the item.

RNZ National – Last of ‘Notes from the South with Dougal Stevenson’

### radionz.co.nz Sunday 24 June 2012
Sunday Morning with Chris Laidlaw
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday

10:40 Notes from the South with Dougal Stevenson
In his final Note, Dougal ponders how all things must pass. (5′50″)
Audio | Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed

(although, this is not the last of Dougal we will hear on RNZ National…)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Mis(t)apprehension: website visits, not bookings?

Is nothing real any more?
It’s not enough to be ‘curious and beautiful’. Especially not when Tourism Dunedin parades support for a 28-storey $100m hotel to be plonked on the waterfront – a complete stranger to business viability – the visual manifestation to destroy, not enhance, Dunedin’s cultural heritage landscape.
Sounds more like your death wish, TD. Y’know, the times when young boys get squelched by tired old hacks, the paunches in suits sprinkling loose cash made from the stadium con.

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### ODT Online Sat, 23 Jun 2012
Tourism drive draws response
By Rosie Manins
Tourism Dunedin dropped 75,000 flyers in letterboxes throughout Christchurch, Canterbury, Central Otago and Southland late last month to advertise winter events and specials in the city. The Curious and Beautiful campaign was shaping up to be a major success, with bookings flooding in and thousands of visits to an associated website, Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said.

Mr Saxton said the online traffic was considered “very good” and had been backed up by positive feedback from Dunedin tourism operators and accommodation providers. “We haven’t got actual booking figures from them yet, but…”

Read more

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How can you tell it’s winter in Dunedin? Treat the locomotive house as your very own barometer. Climatically, the thing acts like a (tourist) bus.

### ODT Online Sat, 23 Jun 2012
Loco lost in mist
By Rosie Manins
Condensation is the latest issue plaguing the locomotive display at the Otago Settlers Museum in Dunedin. Sunny days and chilly nights have caused condensation to form on the outside of the glass case recently, prompting a review of the structure’s design. Project manager Adrian Thein, of Octa Associates, said the condensation problem came as a surprise because natural ventilation had been factored into the building.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DVML chief executive recruitment

Updated Post 4.9.12 (added ‘Related Posts’)

### ODT Online Fri, 22 Jun 2012
Stadium boss wanted: Good pay, must have thick skin
The job of running one of Dunedin’s most controversial companies is officially available. The position of chief executive of council-owned company Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML) is being advertised internationally following the resignation last month of incumbent David Davies. DVML manages the Dunedin Centre, the Edgar Centre and the Forsyth Barr Stadium.

“A pragmatic and strategic ethos combined with advanced interpersonal skills, including effectively managing public relations and competing stakeholders interests are critical aspects of this challenging role.” -Advertisements

Read more

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Related Posts:
22.8.12 DVML: North vs South game profit/loss [email]
5.8.12 Stadium deathwatch
26.7.12 Cull’s council thinks $750,000 pa to DVML represents good value?
24.7.12 Mayor Cull limp biscuit on North-South match
29.6.12 DCC recruitment process: DVML chief executive position
15.6.12 Tighten your girthstraps, boys!
19.5.12 Total ratepayer impact: 6-month stadium operation estimated at $10.2m
9.5.12 DVML report: $1.9 million loss
7.5.12 ODT: “the cupboard has been bare” [still is]
4.5.12 Cull’s rosy future, at stadium…
3.5.12 Davies gave it a shot, next…

9.10.09 New CE for Dunedin Venues Management Ltd

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Connections: ORFU and local harness racing

Pokie Fraud:
Department of Internal Affairs Investigates New Information

Comment received.

Martin Legge
Submitted on 2012/06/21 at 10:07 am

What is going on within DIA? They fly Mr Garbutt to Wellington (at tax payer expense) for a visit and now they are considering fresh information. I am the person who blew the whistle on all of this, still hold all the correspondence relating to the ORFU deal and am aware of personnel that can verify the documents and what went on between TTCF, ORFU and The Centre of Excellence and yet I have not been spoken to – I only live one hour up the road from Mr Quivooy’s office!

Your readers may recall that SST and the ODT both referred to the handwritten budget supplied to me by TTCF trustee Murray Acklin that essentially divvied up every cent of pokie money from the South Auckland Jokers Bars to ORFU and Harness Racing (who had entered into a deal with ORFU). Mr Acklin told both SST and ODT “he doesn’t recall the budget document” – which begs the question of DIA – has he or the other trustees ever been shown this significant piece of evidence as part of DIA’s inquiry? I suspect not because there is one other thing that I do know and that will concern readers – 4 of the 5 TTCF trustees refused interviews with DIA into this and other serious matters back in 2010 and DIA have been satisfied with that ever since!

Funding office staff were required to work exclusively off that budget and there is a clear paper trail of it being met. All TTCF trustees were complicit to it and approved all the grants to ORFU and COE as they came in and even after 2006, TTCF Inc and Ltd continued to approve large grants to ORFU interests while ORFU still had a stake in the Jokers Bars. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

Be aware Mr Garbutt, I was told 2 years ago that DIA were all over this and they were preparing matters to put before the Gambling Commission. None of that happened and no action was taken.

In fairness to Mr Quivooy he wasn’t in the job back then but he was given the opportunity to review the ORFU/TTCF investigation file in March of this year but he advised at that time the investigation and report were robust and he was satisfied with it. I suspect he has been ill advised and is in damage control as his recent comments and meeting with Mr Garbutt suggest that his previous sentiments were wrong.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

ORFU board responsibility for black-tie dinner bill [emails]

No response received.

From: bevkiwi@hotmail.com
To: eion.edgar@forbar.co.nz; asread@xtra.co.nz; wgraham.admiral@ljh.co.nz; laurie.mains@comlink.co.nz; dickb@es.co.nz; dave.callon@sharenz.com; j.a.faulks@xtra.co.nz; ayrdene@farmside.co.nz; russell@cassidylaw.co.nz; abrooney@xtra.co.nz; john.hammer@nz.pwc.com
CC: chris.morris@odt.co.nz; murray.kirkness@odt.co.nz
Subject: RE: ORFU board responsibility for payment of black tie dinner bill
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:05:16 +1200

Dear Eion, Adrian, Wayne, Laurie, Dick, Dave, John, Willis, Russell, Andrew and John,

You still haven’t paid your bill.
So we have amongst you a combination of a self appointed philanthropist, a lawyer, an accountant, a broker, a farmer, a surgeon and a couple of suers.
Not a good look that those professionals amongst you adhere to such obscene behaviour. Is this how you advise your clients to behave in your respective businesses?
And more importantly is this how you do business?
Is there not one independent thinker amongst you?
Or do you act as one mob when the leader lowers the cone of silence?
I do expect this bill to be paid.

Yours sincerely
Bev Butler

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Related Posts:
14.6.12 Silence on debt run up at ORFU black-tie dinner
26.5.12 DIA media release
23.5.12 Latest: Oh, Mr Curragh… [emails]
20.5.12 Update: Oh, Mr Curragh… [emails]
18.5.12 Oh, Mr Curragh… [emails]
11.5.12 Dunedin shootout: mafia bosses
2.5.12 Ratepayers pay for ORFU black tie dinner at stadium
1.5.12 ORFU’s draft constitution
29.4.12 Department of Internal Affairs, the gambling authority
22.4.12 DIA, OAG, TTCF and Otago Rugby swim below the line
31.3.12 Rob Hamlin: The ORFU’s small creditors: If I was one of them…
23.3.12 ORFU position
15.3.12 Message To ORFU Creditors, if you want to see your money
9.3.12 DCC considers writing off ORFU’s $400,000 debt
2.3.12 Demand a full independent forensic audit of ORFU

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC Long Term Plan 2012/13 – 2021/22, and $more

### ch9.co.nz June 21, 2012 – 5:51pm
Council to vote on rates increase
Twelve months’ work planning, listening, debating, and budgeting is almost over. On Monday, the Dunedin City Council will vote to set a 4.9% rates increase in its annual plan, a percentage even lower than promised. But within the same agenda is almost $60 million of debt the city plans to draw down this year.
Video

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Meeting of Dunedin City Council
Monday 25 June 2012 at 2:00 PM
Council Chamber, Municipal Chambers

Agenda – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 97.8 KB)

Reports – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 1.8 MB)
Items to be made public and have been authorised for release under LGOIMA

Report – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 136.6 KB)
Memo of items to be made public and have been authorised for release under LGOIMA

Report – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 154.4 KB)
Adoption of the Long Term Plan 2012/13 – 2021/22

Report – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 11.8 MB)
Adoption of the Long Term Plan 2012/13 – 2021/22 – Attachment

Report – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 659.1 KB)
Setting of Rates for 2012/13 Financial Year

Report – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 134.2 KB)
Security for Borrowings

Report – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 70.1 KB)
Proposed District Plan Change 13: Hazardous Substances – Rescindment of Resolution

Report – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 42.4 KB)
Statement of Intent for Dunedin Venues Limited and Dunedin Venues Management Limited

Report – Council – 25/06/2012 (PDF, 5.6 MB)
Operative Waste Management and Minimisation Plan Review

DCC Link

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Mayor Cull leaves the planet

ORFU now had a new board, and council did not see any further issue with the ORFU, Cull said.

Cull believed the ORFU was now not at risk of future financial collapse.

### D Scene 20 June 2012
ORFU $480k debt deal stays (page 3)
Concerns about possible splashback from pokies allayed
By Wilma McCorkindale
Mayor Dave Cull says Dunedin City Council is unlikely to consider changes to its decision to forgive a $480,000 Otago Rugby Football Union debt in the light of investigations around its pokie grant processes. The Department of Internal Affairs confirmed on Monday it is investigating new information received from Dunedin man Russell Garbutt, a former chairman of Sport Otago.

Register to read D Scene online at
http://fairfaxmedia.newspaperdirect.com/

On Monday the department’s general manager of regulatory and compliance operations, Maarten Quivooy, released a response to questions about a possible new investigation which said: “The Department is considering new information supplied by Mr Garbutt.” Garbutt said the department had not indicated to him which issue it was following up. Cull said Dunedin City Council processes for wiping a $480,000 ORFU debt, part of a bigger bailout package to avoid bankruptcy for the 130-year-old organisation, were now complete. The council had concerns, he said, but the deal was now “all settled”.
{continues} #bookmark

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DRAFT Dunedin Economic Development Strategy

“We are competing with every other local body in New Zealand trying to attract talent, growth and investment.”

### ODT Online Tue, 19 Jun 2012
Call for’ more mongrel’ in draft strategy
By Chris Morris
Submitters have made their voices heard on Dunedin’s draft economic development strategy. Nearly 100 individuals, groups and organisations have expressed their views. Council staff yesterday confirmed 90 submissions had been received since the draft strategy was unveiled last month by Dunedin City Council chief executive Paul Orders and other members of the steering group. Critics worried the strategy’s statements were “easy to make”, lacked detail and remained “fundamentally … a talk-fest”. Others called for more radical initiatives.
Read more

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[Over] Simplistically…
Looking at the partners to the strategy, and who the people are within those partnerships, is it any wonder Dunedin has a lack of business diversity and sharpness in international and domestic markets – or hardly appears at all.
FAIL.

Why is the city council entertaining this draft? Council is filled with bureaucrats who know nothing about business development, plus it has Athol – every smart business knows not to have an Athol. Or old boy councillors and company directors – dead meat for the rort.

The university produces so much traction and sludge it should be ignored, but let’s grab any bright sparks attracted to it and haul them to safety! Whereas, Otago Polytechnic has the capacity over time to produce the raw material of a smart workforce.

Dunedin should be THE LEADER in Otago Southland for business development – it must think regionally/globally – today, DCC gets as far as the Octagon and a couple of old warehouses. Embarrassing.

Very few local businesses think EXPORT.

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### ODT Online Tue, 19 Jun 2012
Mortgages to staff worth $4.5 million
By Chris Morris
Staff across the Dunedin City Council group have been granted millions of dollars worth of home loans sourced by the council’s financial services arm, the Dunedin City Treasury. Figures released to the Otago Daily Times showed DCT had granted 43 loans to staff across the council and its council-controlled organisations (CCOs). The loans stretched back 14 years and were together estimated to be worth between $4.5 million and $5 million.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Tighten your girthstraps, boys!

To whom do we refer? Why, of course, the chaps at DVML, DVL, DCHL, CST, ORC, ORFU, and good ol’ DCC. Our fortunes will turn around with a daring bout of animal cruelty coming to a stadium near you! We always said gladiatorial blood sport was a far better thing than thugby, and we have the precise fodder to please the crowds. Roll up! Roll up!

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We woke from warm wandering dreams to idle news of a one-off rodeo. It’s still animal cruelty, and will appeal to all rednecks, but maybe we can run the local mobsters at the bulls instead – at the very least give them a sorry arse from bronc riding… it’ll all work out.

Did someone mention venue hire fees to the wranglers?

Or to the aged people from overseas who might sing stadium swansongs for us. The stadium going out to Stevie Nicks, in a snagged broken crumble of flaked paint and rusted trusses would be the ultimate romance. Bye cruel world…

Dunedin is dark.

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Meanwhile, our southern sister city Christchurch walks the walk.
Received this morning:

Hype O’Thermia
Submitted on 2012/06/15 at 8:52 am

http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/7107021/Ministry-created-to-water-the-seeds-of-awesome

It’s about the opportunities people in Christchurch have had – have TAKEN – to do stuff that was awesome while the authorities were too busy to find a rule to stop them. Now they’ve got the bit between their teeth: doing things to make the city better is being reclaimed piece by piece. Shows how well a city can do things when it can’t manage to mobilise enough staff to prevent initiatives that aren’t owned by themselves, over-priced, micro-managed and generally a bit on the downhill side of ineffectual (from what we see in Dunedin).

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Audit NZ true but pale in delivery?

### ODT Online Thu, 14 Jun 2012
Audit NZ warns of risks from debt, stadium
By Chris Morris
Rates hikes, increased debt levels or cuts to services remain a risk for the Dunedin City Council as it grapples with uncertainty over the Forsyth Barr Stadium, Audit New Zealand warns. The assessment came in two Audit NZ reports presented to the council’s finance, strategy and development committee yesterday. One report studied the council’s draft long-term plan for the next decade, to 2022, while the other scrutinised the council’s performance in the year to June 30, 2011.

Audit director Ian Lothian, in his long-term report, said council assumptions the stadium would cover its own costs and ensure rates were not affected remained a “high financial risk” to the council’s plans.

Stadium revenue projections were “as yet unproven”, dependent on income from rentals and sponsorships, and “still … a big assumption”, Lothian warned. The near-liquidation of the Otago Rugby Football Union highlighted the risks inherent in the stadium investment, he said.
Read more

Report – FSD – 13/06/2012 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Management Report from Audit New Zealand – Long Term Plan
Report – FSD – 13/06/2012 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Management Report from Audit New Zealand – Year Ended 30 June 2011

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The council fiasco widens. Keep indulging professional rugby (HPSNZ) why not.

### ODT Online Thu, 14 Jun 2012
Council to retain building
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council has moved to retain direct ownership of High Performance Sport New Zealand’s Dunedin base. The move would see the council retain ownership of the $5.1 million building at Forsyth Barr Stadium, together with the land it sat on, worth $1.71 million. The council transferred the land to Dunedin Venues Ltd last year, and was to do the same with the building this month.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Stones, stayin’ alive…

Band begins ramping up, but sources say Keith’s health is a concern

### rollingstone.com March 14, 2012 10:00 AM ET
Stones’ 50th Anniversary Tour Pushed Back to 2013
By Patrick Doyle
REUTERS/Andrea Comas /Landov
The Rolling Stones will not tour to mark their 50th anniversary this year, Rolling Stone has learned after separate interviews with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. “Basically, we’re just not ready,” says Richards. Instead, 2013 is the new goal. “I have a feeling that’s more realistic,” he adds.

A top concert-business source confirms the reservations over Richards’ condition. “They don’t want to do a full tour,” he says. “They don’t want to travel, and there are concerns about Keith’s health.” A more likely scenario would see the band camping out for multi­night runs in arenas, similar to Prince’s recent stands in New York and Los Angeles. “For example, they’d do 10 nights at MSG, 10 nights at Staples, 10 nights at London’s O2 arena.”

Read more

This story is from the March 29th, 2012 issue of Rolling Stone.

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### ODT Online Thu, 14 Jun 2012
City’s neuro links may seal Stones deal
By Nigel Benson
A Dunedin promoter is hoping to entice the Rolling Stones to Forsyth Barr Stadium for a concert next year. Rob Fitzpatrick hopes sentiment will convince the group to agree to a Dunedin benefit concert, and says a percentage of the proceeds would go to the chair of neurosurgery campaign.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Silence on debt run up at ORFU black-tie dinner

No response received.

From: bevkiwi@hotmail.com
To: eion.edgar@forbar.co.nz; asread@xtra.co.nz; wgraham.admiral@ljh.co.nz; laurie.mains@comlink.co.nz; dickb@es.co.nz; dave.callon@sharenz.com; j.a.faulks@xtra.co.nz; ayrdene@farmside.co.nz; russell@cassidylaw.co.nz; abrooney@xtra.co.nz; john.hammer@nz.pwc.com
CC: chris.morris@odt.co.nz; murray.kirkness@odt.co.nz
Subject: ORFU board responsibility for payment of black tie dinner bill
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2012 10:35:57 +1200

Dear Eion, Adrian, Wayne, Laurie, Dick, Dave, John, Willis, Russell, Andrew and John

As you are all fully aware, the ORFU ran up a DVML bill of $25,352 for your black tie fund raiser at the stadium on 5th August 2011. This was for food, booze, soft drinks and cleaning.

Not only did the ORFU run off without paying this bill but the ORFU paid no venue hire for this brand new venue. Then to top it off the ORFU pocketed $52,000 from this fundraising event into their ‘pot’.

The fact that the ORFU then pressurised the Council to ‘write it off’ does not excuse any of you from the moral obligation to pay this bill.

I was quoted in the ODT as saying this was ‘obscene’. It is like booking a large restaurant, gorging yourselves on all their food and drink and hospitality then doing a runner.

It is ‘obscene’ and I expect this bill to be paid in full.

Eion, I am not asking you to be philanthropic, just support the paying of the bill like any decent person would.

Laurie, I noticed you and your wife, Anne-Marie, refuse to answer questions as to whether Anne-Marie was paid for her services in organising this event. I actually have no problem with her charging for her professional services. What I do have a problem with is that it is standard practice for professional event organisers to ensure all outstanding bills are paid before the ‘surplus’ is paid to the organisation. This did not happen. I don’t know whether Anne-Marie was paid $10,000, $12,000 or even more but whatever the amount the issue is that the other bills should have been paid first.

I fully expect this bill to be paid.

Yours sincerely

Bev Butler

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC: 2012 Residents’ Opinion Survey

We re-present this piece of PROPAGANDA in full, for non T-shirt residents’ edification and delight. Do note, this is the first year everyone can comment on the stadium project. Everyone is welcome to use the online survey – open at this link from Friday, 15 June 2012.

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
2012 Residents Opinion Survey

This item was published on 12 Jun 2012

Purpose of Residents’ Opinion Survey
One way the Council gauges the views of the “silent majority” is through the annual Residents’ Opinion Survey, or ROS. The Council has been undertaking the ROS since 1994 and by giving expression to all sectors and areas of the community it has become a valuable tool for guiding its decision-making process and prioritising expenditure. The ROS survey focuses on service delivery and effectiveness, and asks questions about people’s perceptions of the Council’s performance. The ROS survey is also a crucial part of the Council’s performance monitoring. Most DCC departments have customer service and other performance targets in their Activity Management Plans which they are required to meet every year. A lot of the set targets come from the ROS survey results. In addition, there are also quality measures in the Long Term Plan which emanate from the ROS results.

Changes made as a result of Residents’ Opinion Surveys
Not only do the ROS results help the Council measure its performance, but the results also show us areas where we can make further improvements. For example, in 2010 the ROS showed relatively low satisfaction with ‘the amount of public consultation undertaken’ by the Council. The Council is making significant efforts to improve its performance in this area and this was reflected in the results from the 2011 ROS.

Examples of the Council’s continued focus on improving its consultation include:
● Drafting a community engagement and consultation policy which should be completed by the end of the year
● Reviewing and restructuring all of the Council’s marketing and communications activities to help improve the quality and scope of information disseminated by the Council
● Jointly developing a new collaborative Draft Economic Development Strategy for the City
● Using a range of methods to canvass stakeholders’ opinions on the Draft Spatial Plan
● Undertaking significant community consultation and engagement to develop the South Dunedin Retail Centre Revitalisation Plan, and in particular improvements to King Edward Street

The Council has also continued, and stepped up, its efforts to improve the suitability of the road network for cyclists which is another area that has consistently received low satisfaction ratings in the ROS survey.

For example the Council has:
● Developed plans for a Strategic Cycle Network and included funding in the Long Term Plan allocating $1.5 million each year for the next three years and $350,000 each year thereafter
● Included funding in the Long Term Plan to complete a continuous cycleway between Portsmouth Drive and Harington Point
● Working with the Otago Tunnels Trust to investigate and potentially implement the opening of the Caversham Tunnel to pedestrians and cyclists;
● Completed cycleway connections around the Forsyth Barr Stadium, the harbour front and Anzac Ave and preparing to install cycle lanes along Anderson’s Bay road in the 2012/13 year
● The installation of 65 cycle stands in around 20 locations around the city
● Updating the Council’s cycle map/leaflet outlining commuting routes and tracks across the city

The New Zealand Transport Agency has also approved funding to complete the shared path between the city and Port Chalmers over the next three years after lobbying from the Council.

Method and Timeline
4,500 surveys will be posted to randomly selected residents on 15 June 2012. The survey will also be available online at www.dunedin.govt.nz/ros.

Providing an online survey allows all Dunedin residents to have their say and gives residents who receive the mailed questionnaire another method of completing the survey. To ensure the statistical validity of the survey results, the responses from residents who were randomly selected to complete the survey are used as the official survey results. Responses from residents who independently chose to complete the survey online are analysed separately but also provide the Council with an extremely valuable source of information. For example the Council gathers a lot of valuable ideas for improving its services and the city from residents’ responses to the open ended questions contained in the survey. The more residents that complete the survey, the more ideas it receives. Last year, 899 people responded to the survey after receiving a posted questionnaire and a further 67 people independently responded to the online survey.

█ All surveys, including the online survey, need to be completed by Tuesday, 10 July. The results will be analysed by Research First, an independent research company based in Christchurch, who is conducting the survey on behalf of the Council. The results will be available to the general public in mid-late August 2012 and will be posted on the Council website.

Contact Hamish Orbell, Policy Analyst on 477 4000.

DCC Link

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC: Standard issue for ALL staff and hangers-on

To be worn with corporate wash-and-wear crimplene pants. All heavy neck jewellery is banned, removing distraction from weak chins.

Thanks to Source.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Nice ~!!! (an interlude)

What would well-known people do on a trip to Mars?

### rnz.co.nz Monday 11 June 2012
Afternoons with Jim Mora
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons
13:20 Eight Months to Mars – Barry Humphries
Barry Humphries as the lilac haired, rhinestone spectacled Dame Edna Everage, has been entertaining and shocking audiences the world over since the 1950s. (29′42″)
Audio | Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

What won’t get printed on ORT’s front page (pssst, about the Albatross…….)

UPDATED POST June 10, 2012 at 7:10 pm

A response at ODT Online.

Ahem
Submitted by farsighted on Sat, 09/06/2012 – 5:58pm.

There have been 18 major events since the stadium opened in August 2011. So it’s not “weekend in, weekend out”; on average it’s less than one a fortnight.

For the grand opening: around 650 (no hire fee); North Otago game: about 7500 (hire fee written off as bad debt to ORFU); Canterbury game: 14067 (hire fee written off); RWC: 4 games, attendance 30700, 25687, 20117, 28027 (no hire fee paid due to arrangement with RWC2011, cost to city $400K); Phoenix game 1: 15000; Phoenix game 2: 4628; Otago United games: 3 games at around 250 per game; Elton John: 35500 (no hire fee paid); Super Rugby: 5 games, attendance 22500, 17670, 18417, 18207, 14967.

Total attendance: 234337; Average attendance: 15240; Total cost of opening: 5 events at $30K, 13 events at $100K = $1.45M; Hire fees paid: 7 events out of 18; Total written off: $800K; Total cost to the city: $2.25M or $10/person (operating cost only).

These figures are useful to project what needs to happen for DVML to break even. They need to do that on approximately 300K visitors, 26 events per year. One event per fortnight is $2.8 million in operating costs, plus DVML’s $2M or so administration costs and the $5M or so they need to pay DVL, so they need revenue of about $30-$50 per visitor. At the moment, the average ticket price is around $20/person (student tickets sell at around $12 each), or a shortfall of $4M, which squares with the reported figures.

Read full comment

Plus one: Big Night In – around 20,000 visitors (zero income); in addition to the $100K opening costs, DCC paid [$70K] for the event to take place.
(ODT Link)

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SPREADSHEET
Supplied. Entries verifiable from public sources. It may be possible in most cases to report the ticket prices for sales via Ticket Direct website for past events.

stadium-event-attendance1 (21.5 KB)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

City Property to compete more obviously in the market (their excuse: PPP)

UPDATED POST June 11, 2012 at 5:53 pm

Read: DUNEDIN CITY COUNCIL LET’S MOVE TO PROTECT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY JUST LIKE WE DID PROFESSIONAL RUGBY
(Side bar: Let’s replicate Dunedin’s central police station in Queens Gardens, and other such crocks)
(Question of the Day: Why is a council manager empowered to speak out ahead of councillors and the chief executive? Wethinks Dave Cull has a lot to do with this. Your turn to answer, Mr Cull)
(This is a bit like GM Tony Avery speaking out on council’s need to redesignate for SH88, without telling the whole story of gross council incompetence and the likely multi-million dollar cost to ratepayers)
(It’s what you don’t say)

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### ODT Online Sat, 9 Jun 2012
Council mulls public-private hotel plan
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council is considering a public-private partnership that could result in a second new hotel being built in the central city.

Council seeks $15 million portfolio boost

The idea was among several being considered by the council’s city property department to increase the value of the $89 million investment property portfolio it will manage over the next few years. The proposal could result in a 60-room, three or four-star “boutique” hotel being constructed on the council’s Dowling St car park site, south of the Octagon, council city property manager Robert Clark confirmed. If approved, it would be built together with a multistorey parking building, with the estimated $15 million cost split between the council and an interested private developer, Mr Clark said. The council would build the car park and the developer the hotel, meaning the two parties would share costs and returns from the investment, Mr Clark said.

Various council departments were involved in discussing the project, but it was yet to be considered by the council’s property subcommittee – headed by Mayor Dave Cull – and would also need approval at a subsequent full council meeting.

Mr Clark said that could happen later this year, if a detailed analysis established a healthy return on investment was achievable.
Read more

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TWO COMMENTS
Phil’s eyes-wide-open look at City Property!
https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/city-property-to-compete-more-obviously-in-the-market-their-excuse-ppp/#comment-24692
https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/city-property-to-compete-more-obviously-in-the-market-their-excuse-ppp/#comment-24695

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC: More IGNORANT ignore of Otago Chamber of Commerce

How DUMB is your Dunedin City Council? You’d think councillors and council staff might have some conception of what the Chamber is and who it represents–given Harbourside, given Parking, given freaking EVERYTHING commerce related. Perhaps the council has a collective brain aneurysm; there must be some sort of obvious explanation. Would it further insult the general populace to learn what it is. And who’s the chair of the council subcommittee considering the policy revision, oh right, none other than Councillor Wilson, a cafe owner of Middlemarch. 1 + 6 = 3

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### ODT Online Fri, 8 Jun 2012
Bold bid to clear footpaths
By Debbie Porteous
Dunedin city councillors are recommending all portable advertising signs and possibly all displays of goods be banned from city footpaths. But the moves to keep the city’s footpaths clear for the whole community’s use was greeted with scepticism by some of those who might be affected by the revised policy.
Second-hand trader Neville Herd, of Arkwright Traders, who displays furniture outside this South Dunedin stores, said the public should decide what was appropriate.

Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said the proposals were very bold and it was frustrating the council did not include them in the original extensive consultation on the issue.

Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr