We must control our rates
We all need to be concerned. Our rates have been forecast to increase 40% over the next 3 years if we carry on spending as we are. While we are lining the pockets of consultants, contractors and legal advisors many people in our city are on struggle street. A further rate rise could have significant impacts for whanau in our community. If you want to get our rates under control, you need to use your voice and vote in this year's election.
I'm a hands-on learner and strategist with a proven track record in our community. As a business executive with almost 20 years' experience, I have worked for some of the worlds largest companies to develop winning strategies for success and have owned a number of small businesses in Tauranga.
If you want a leader that builds strong relationships in our community, isn't afraid to speak up, and has the business skills and acumen to turn things around, I'd love your support. I promise to help shape Tauranga to be an even better place for residents to live, work, socialise, and play. I'm Principled, Fearless, and Different so by electing me in Otumoetai/Pyes Pa as your number 1 choice, you're one vote closer to changing the status quo. Thank you to everyone for your support. I look forward to giving you a voice inside council chambers.
I'm a hands-on learner and strategist with a proven track record in our community. As a business executive with almost 20 years' experience, I have worked for some of the worlds largest companies to develop winning strategies for success and have owned a number of small businesses in Tauranga.
If you want a leader that builds strong relationships in our community, isn't afraid to speak up, and has the business skills and acumen to turn things around, I'd love your support. I promise to help shape Tauranga to be an even better place for residents to live, work, socialise, and play. I'm Principled, Fearless, and Different so by electing me in Otumoetai/Pyes Pa as your number 1 choice, you're one vote closer to changing the status quo. Thank you to everyone for your support. I look forward to giving you a voice inside council chambers.
Summary: In 2016, I was approached by small business owners being negatively affected by Tauranga's Marine Precinct Development after they were unable to get any engagement or traction from TCC with the concerns being raised.
Small Business Owners were told verbally and in documents from TCC, that a range of facilities (and dedicated areas) would be included in Tauranga’s Marine Precinct and therefore users in the Marine Industry did not need to tender for land in order to operate. As tenders close, businesses hear council is selling the water’s edge privately and out of public ownership. Should the owners of these lots decide to build on the water (which would be the only reason to purchase waterfront land), this would mean approx. $35M would be pushed out of the local economy due to the lack of facilities and a design that was fraught with multiple safety and maneuvering hazards.
We try to work with TCC to explain the situation and ask they delay closing on the tenders (with the water’s edge attached), until TCC could properly understand the impact it will have for the city and its Rate Payers.
Some of the issues from the beginning:
- Lack of Effective Community Engagement.
- No demand study was completed
- Lack of knoweldge of the Marine Industry
- Inaccurate Reports
- Lack of Project Management with all the power sitting with consultants and staff
- An Advisory Group with stakeholders was never created. (Had this been done - Issues 1-5 wouldn't have happened)
- TCC tells us they would not stop the tender process as they needed $5M from the land sales to get the remainder of the $5M from BOPRC.
Over 3 years later, these issues have snowballed in to a costly battle all of which could have been avoided.
Two months ago, my hard work has paid off and council have finally agreed to establish a Marine Precinct Advisory Group. It has taken a long time to get here, but I'm happy we're finally moving in the right direction. I'll always fight for what is right (no matter how long it takes me).
"My name is Erika Harvey and I’m here to discuss Tauranga’s $11M Marine Precinct development which is located beside the Harbour Bridge. I’m not sure if many of you know it is there, but it’s there.
I’m standing here today representing the Marine Industry where dialogue with council was started 5 years ago where errors around design and function were initially highlighted. In 2016, I became involved when those before me could no longer spend the time and energy in having discussions without any outcomes while watching TCC continue to push forward without taking their concerns into account.
Instead of listening to the issues being raised, TCC carried on with their project which unfortunately went on to create even more issues due to their lack of effective engagement and management and has snowballed to be a disaster.
In the 3 years I have been the spokesperson of the Marine Industry we have met with almost each Councillor individually, Raised concerns with both Mayor Crosby and Mayor Brownless, we engaged with employees and consultants – I’ve filed multiple complaints with council to stop and look at this project before the hard-earned money of rate payers was wasted and small businesses impacted. Last year, we hired an independent consultant (which we had to pay for) who helped us identify why no one was taking the issues seriously and discovered it was due to unethical practices and culture inside TCC where a false narrative was created to ensure that instead of owning their mistakes and correcting them, they pretended there weren’t any, and labelled me (and I quote) “a ______ stirrer”
Last month I contacted Max Pedersen when the Marine Precinct was left out of his other reports only to find out he was not aware of any issues in the precinct development and I’m happy to announce a report from him is due any day now. However, why has it taken council this long to get out from behind their desk to properly INVESTIGATE any of the issues we’ve raised. We are where we are and in the financial state we are in due to the ethic, lies, and corruption in council this is a big job to change, so my question is:
Please describe the cultural shift you’re envisioning for our council, and how you will personally commit to bringing about this change, so this doesn’t happen to anyone else?"
👇🏼I'm a hands-on learner and strategist with a proven track record in our community. As a business executive with almost 20 years' experience, I have worked for some of the world's largest companies to develop winning strategies for success and have owned a number of small businesses in Tauranga. If you want a leader who builds strong relationships in our community, isn't afraid to speak up, and has the business skills and acumen to turn things around, i'd love your support.
I promise to help shape Tauranga to be an even better place for residents to live, work, socialise, and play. I'm principled, fearless, and different so by electing me, you're 1 vote closer to changing the status quo. Thank you to everyone for your support. I look forward to giving you a voice inside council chambers.
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
💥With almost 20 years building a deep and broad career, my experience spans different industry sectors and a variety of roles from radio/television experience to working with leading global brand’s and thought leaders. As an award-winning sales & marketing executive with international sales experience, I have taken my knowledge and expertise to start and scale several businesses of my own and to help others do the same. Today, I work with clients looking to rebrand and grow their organizations and am developing break-through technological innovations within New Zealand’s Fisheries sector.