Extra roading projects have been identified by the Waitaki District Council on which to spend about half a million dollars it saved on its annual roading maintenance contract.
The council signed a new three-year $9.3 million maintenance contract with SouthRoads from July 1, saving it about $250,000 this financial year.
When the council set its rates for this year, instead of using the savings to reduce the 6.5% increase, it decided to keep the $250,000 in the roading budget to make improvements to the network.
Combined with subsidies from the New Zealand Transport Authority, that provided $550,000 to do extra work.
This week, the council's committee of the whole approved a list of projects, which will now be taken to North Otago Federated Farmers, North Otago Automobile Association, Fonterra and the Waihemo and Ahuriri Community Boards for consultation.
If they agree, the extra programme will start. If there are disputes over any projects, they will come back to the council for final approval.
Assets group manager Neil Jorgensen said the projects chosen would also make it easier to maintain roads in the future.
Under the programme, $170,000 is allocated to culvert renewals, $80,500 to repair breaks on road edges, $120,000 for bridge maintenance, $50,000 to increase sizes of identified culverts, $62,500 for minor safety improvements, $14,000 to extend sealing on Maudes Rd and $42,500 for work on Teaneraki Rd at Windsor-Enfield.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton welcomed the programme, along with $361,500 for minor improvements.
"For a long time we have had a nagging worry that we were not keeping up with a lot of rural roads that have heavy traffic and use," he said.
Liquor ban signs: Signs warning people of Oamaru's liquor ban could be waterblasted on to footpaths in the central business district.
Regulatory services manager Steven May said observance of the ban varied due to complacency or people being unaware. Recently, alcohol-related litter in the liquor ban area had increased and 18 warnings had been issued in September for breaches.
Education was preferred and the waterblasting warnings would help.
New software: Back in "normal operational mode" is how assets manager Neil Jorgensen described the end of a three-year project installing new computer software for the council.
The $1.23 million project was to install Authority software. The project was completed slightly under the budget of $1.8 million.
Mr Jorgensen said staff put in a substantial effort, including "many thousands of hours" to ensure success of the project.
While that approach carried a high level of risk and there were "a few bumps and bruises" to be healed, the council now had a software package with a bright future.
It also gave the council access to a lot of extras that were not in the old package, including the ability to make more information available online for the public, along with annual upgrades.
