Firstly I would like to thank everyone who attended our Anzac Day dawn parade and service held in our Memorial Square.
I would also like to acknowledge and thank Martinborough RSA Secretary Pam Colenso for her organisation of this year’s event.
Prior to Easter, the new contractors were working on the pedestrian lighting around The Square, ensuring the power connections were all installed correctly. Some of the lights are switched on, making the crossings much safer and I am hoping that the remaining lights will be operating as soon as possible. It will be good to have this project completed at last.
Another project which started last month was the desludging of Martinborough’s waste water ponds. The Auckland-based contractors have created a sealed containment laydown area where the sludge will be stored in Geotech bags and allowed to drain and dry out. The liquid contained in the laydown area will be pumped back through the plant to be treated again.
The contractors are bringing in a second barge to expedite the whole process and plan to have the job completed in the first week of June. The contractors will then carry out another survey to determine sludge levels in the ponds, before moving the equipment to Greytown where they will start work on those ponds.
In March, councillors asked our CEO to write to the Minister of Transport requesting that our 2023 Speed Management Plan be enacted. In response, the CEO asked for letters of support from the community and Martinborough Community Board initiated a petition which obtained 104 signatures, alongside a number of letters of support from the community.
I would like to thank everyone who signed the petition or wrote letters which have now been sent – alongside the CEO’s letter – to the Minister of Transport. Hopefully we will get the response that the community and councillors are asking for.
To contact me to discuss any issues, please email: aidan.ellims@swdc.govt.nz
(Abridged: Ed.)
