Today we also welcomed our new Community Services Group Manager Max Pedersen to Council - he brings significant local government experience to the role, having previously held the position of Chief Executive of Upper Hutt City Council for 17 years.

TSUNAMI – ARE WE PREPARED?

Council will be joining organisations across the country jumping into action this week responding to a mock tsunami hitting New Zealand’s coastal communities – and we’re encouraging the community to look at their own preparedness too.

More than 100 organisations and several hundred staff nationwide will take part in Exercise Tangaroa, which will test the country’s arrangements for preparing for, responding to and recovering from a major tsunami.

Kāpiti Coast District Council lead emergency controller Wayne Maxwell says staff from the Council, the Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office (WREMO) and emergency management partner organisations will stage a mock-activation of the local emergency operations centre to test processes, decision making and communications here in Kāpiti.

“We’d encourage all Kāpiti residents to spend some time this week reviewing their own preparedness for tsunami and other emergencies,” he says.

“It’s a great time to visit the Council website to check whether you’re in a tsunami evacuation zone and to ensure your family has a plan for where to evacuate to and how to get there.”

Mr Maxwell says several local schools, kindergartens and childcare centres would this week test their tsunami evacuation plans and motorists were advised to take care around Paraparaumu College and Mazengarb Road at  10.30am on Wednesday 31 August and around Raumati Road and Hillcrest Road at 10.55am on Thursday 1 September.

KĀPITI i-SITE IS ON THE MOVE

The Kāpiti i-SITE will move from its Rimu Road premises in Paraparaumu to new premises in what was previously the deli section of the Mediterranean Food Warehouse next week.

The i-SITE will be closed for two days, Thursday 1 and Friday 2 September, to allow time to move material from the Rimu Road site to the Mediterranean Food Warehouse site and complete the fit out.

Strategy and Planning Group Manager Stephen McArthur says the Kāpiti i-SITE will re-open its doors at its newly refurbished location at 10am on Monday 5 September.

“The new location will be more visible and accessible to people visiting the Kāpiti Coast. It will showcase our rich natural environment and intriguing heritage, and encourage locals and visitors to get out and about and explore our district.” 

The new i-SITE will continue to provide national, regional and local information as well as ticketing for national bus, train and ferry services and local events.

People wanting to purchase tickets for national bus, train and ferry services and local events on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 September are encouraged to purchase them directly from the service provider in person, online or by phone.

ŌTAKI EARTHQUAKE PRONE BUILDING UPDATE

Council can confirm the Ōtaki Theatre building has been assessed as not earthquake prone.

An initial seismic assessment by independent structural engineers identified the building, on Main Street in Ōtaki, as potentially earthquake prone. However, a more detailed assessment carried out recently determined this is not the case.

Signage, which was put up in the building warning of its potential earthquake status, has been removed and regular users of the building have been informed.

However, an initial assessment of Memorial Hall in Ōtaki has been carried out and shown the building is potentially earthquake prone.

Council has engaged Spencer Holmes, consulting engineers, to undertake a detailed seismic assessment of the hall over the next two months.

‘Potentially earthquake-prone building’ signs have been placed on the hall to let people know of this status. Regular users have been informed, as will anyone ringing Council’s customer services to book the building.

Being assessed as earthquake prone does not prevent people using the building or necessarily mean it shouldn’t be occupied or is unsafe. However, people have a right to know the findings of the building’s initial assessment.

CHANGES AT COUNCIL

Council chief executive Pat Dougherty has accepted the resignation of Group Manager Strategy and Planning Stephen McArthur.  His last day with Council will be 16 September.

Mr Dougherty says since joining Council in August 2013, Mr McArthur has made an impressive contribution across a range of projects and would be missed.

“When I appointed Stephen he was very up front that his interest in taking on the role was to make a difference at a time when we were grappling with some tricky issues.  He said that once he’d done that he’d be looking elsewhere for new challenges – and he’s been true to his word. 
“Stephen has been instrumental in getting the proposed district plan process back on track and with hearings nearing completion we are well down the path towards Council having a robust plan to adopt.  He leaves this work in great shape.

“His other achievements include his work on the development of an economic development strategy for the district and the early work to begin implementing it; oversight of the development of the FutureKapiti long term plan and several annual plan processes; and helping capture and present options for reorganisation within the Wellington region.”

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