Last week we reported on the Special Task Force assigned to identify issues sufficiently important to warrant convening a meeting of the Napier City Council (as opposed to just letting […]
Just send your Sports Park comments to Sam
I’m just beginning to wade through the heaps of reports and technical studies presented by Hastings Council in support of a Regional Sports Park. As a citizen, it feels like […]
Regional Council gets no respect
Friday was the first regular meeting of the newly-elected Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. Here are the highlights, odd and interesting. 1. No one came. No member of the public. No […]
Fur flies over nomination
Department of Conservation’s (DOC) Peter Williamson today fired a broadside at organisers of Westpac Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, saying the decision to nominate Napier business
Arnott says “Call me next year”
Citing a lack of pressing issues to discuss, Mayor Barbara Arnott today announced that the Napier City Council will not meet officially until 2008 … “sometime after the grapes are […]
Yule & McIntyre raise environmental bar
Both the Hastings and HB Regional Councils got themselves organized today. On the personnel front, a changing of the guard occurred at HBRC, as Rex McIntyre took over the Chairmanship […]
Colonel takes on the coast
Following a split vote yesterday afternoon, Hastings District Council have approved an application from Hill Country Corporation to include a KFC outlet in their Ocean Beach coastal village. Hastings mayor, […]
Police prevent bloodshed outside mayor’s office
Fast-responding police prevented an ugly dispute outside Mayor Yule’s office from turning bloody in the wee hours yesterday. It seems the Mayor had offered to sell the location rights for […]
Errors made! Election results reversed
The Hawke’s Bay Vote Certification Commission (HBVCC) just issued a bulletin at 11:00pm, October 24th, that completely changes key outcomes in recent elections and contests throughout the region. The HBVCC […]
Choosing a Hastings District CEO
With the elections behind us, it’s time to move on to the REALLY important personnel issue … choosing a replacement for Murray Gilbertson as Hastings District CEO. This is a […]
The Voters – a poem
The Voters (An adaptation of Denis Glover’s “The Magpies”). Salted sand and whitened knuckle, and Quardle ardle oodle ardle wardle doodleThe voters chuckle Ti kouka stands like a dreadlocked fuse, […]
Candidate for Village Fool
Just when we thought the elections were over, a new candidate has planted his stake … for the office of Village Fool. With the distractions of great Bay weather and […]
What a difference 30 points make!
Mayor Arnott was re-elected with 84% of the vote, and faces only three new members on her council. Two of them appear to be probable pussycats, joining an already domesticated […]
BayBuzz Election Campaign Awards
Some candidates so out-classed their opposition in this year’s local body elections that BayBuzz thought they deserved special recognition. Here are our 2007 Election Campaign Awards … Most intimidating candidate: […]
Winners celebrate!
Just a quick post to congratulate all the provisional winners in local elections. Hastings — Yule, Turner, Heaps, Burnside, Bowers, Twigg, Watkins, Speers, Lester, Wilson, Poulain, O’Keefe, Bradshaw, Kimber. BayBuzz […]
Grand Poobah Derek Brownrigg
As fate would have it, come October 17th or thereabouts, when election returns are officially certified, Councillor Derek Brownrigg, by virtue of being unopposed for his seat, will become Hastings’ […]
Billboard review – Best and Worst
As promised in our opening billboard review, it’s time to lay it on the line and declare the BayBuzz judged best and worst billboards in the 2007 local body elections. […]
Peter Nee Harland gets last word
BayBuzz invited the Hastings mayoral candidates, on short notice, to provide a last statement to the voters before the polling window closes. Peter Nee Harland took us up on the […]
Special message from Sam Kelt
Thrilled with the success of the past weekend’s Kelt Capital Spring Carnival, Sam Kelt graciously sent a “thank you” note to the ratepayers of Hastings District, which BayBuzz is happy […]
Arnott adds spice to campaign
Dismayed at the low voter participation so far in local body elections, Mayor Barbara Arnott has decided to spark greater voter interest in Napier by running against herself in the […]