Letter that accompanied the Questionnaire from Democracy at Baylys Beach

Democracy at Baylys Beach

A democracy does not guarantee that its citizens will

make the right choice,

but rather, it guarantees that its citizens have

the right to make a choice.

Dear Baylys Beach Neighbour: May 17, 2010

In the coming months two important events will happen at Baylys Beach.

First, the Kaipara District Council elections will be held in October 2010. Baylys Beach residents and rate-payers will be able to exercise their right to vote for mayoral and council representatives at this election. It is critical to future of our seaside community that we elect council members that will represent and fight for our interests and welfare. As a community we may not all agree on what is best for our future, but we should agree to have an open and honest debate on the important issues that lay before us.

Second, and just as important, in the next few months the current Kaipara District Council will announce its proposed wastewater scheme for the Baylys Beach community. This scheme will most likely involve a multi-million dollar reticulated wastewater plan that will pipe household wastewater to Dargaville for treatment or build a wastewater treatment plant at Baylys Beach. No doubt, whatever happens, a proposed scheme will be complicated and there will be a need for the community to discuss the costs involved. All community members will need to voice their opinion on this important issue. This issue may affect the future health, growth and well being of our beautiful seaside community. It could also cripple our community for many years with a huge debt for a multi-million dollar wastewater scheme that is not needed and unaffordable. Alternative schemes need to be considered. Again, an honest and open debate on this issue is extremely important to our community’s future.

Our community needs to be heard on these two important events. To this end, we are conducting a survey of the Baylys Beach community about our wastewater problem. The purpose of this survey and questionnaire is to collect information and opinions from the property owners and rate-payers on the issue of our wastewater problems and the possible solutions. Almost everyone will agree that we all wish to maintain our beautiful beach, have a clean and green neighbourhood, and be sure that we can afford an appropriate wastewater scheme for our future needs.

This survey is being conducted by a group of concerned Baylys Beach property owners (listed below). We personally promise that information gathered from this survey will be totally anonymous (your name and details will not be associated in any way whatsoever to the questionnaire sheet you return to us). The results of the survey will be compiled and published in the local newspapers (provided they will promise to publish the results in full without editorial comments), and will be shown to the Kaipara District Council in the form of a letter directed to Mayor Tiller and Councillor Taylor (Wastewater portfolio manager).

Finally, we hope that everyone will be interested in participating in this survey, thereby voicing their opinion, and in turn they will be willing to listen to others. In an effort to collect as many responses to the survey as possible, we are asking respondents to return their questionnaire with one half of the enclosed raffle ticket for a beautiful quilt-work prize (see photo below) entitled “Lightning at Baylys Beach” (created and donated by John Nielsen at Baylys Beach). The prize winner will be selected at a drawing to be held at the Funky Fish on Sunday June 20^th.

Thank you in advance for your participation and prompt attention to this survey, and please post your questionnaire and raffle ticket so they arrive before June 19^th in the pre-addressed pre-paid envelope to be in the draw. If you have any questions please feel free to telephone or email any of us (see information below).

Graham Michael Darwin Maurice

Jones Lee Linthicum Weatherall