The Clutha District Council's decision to harvest forestry blocks in West Otago and terminate a partnership with two local schools last year has drawn the ire of one of the project's instigators.
Murray Kane, a retired farmer who lives near Tapanui, told the West Otago Community Board at its meeting yesterday he was one of the instigators of planting frees on the Tapanui waterworks reserve.
Mr Kane said the first he heard about the trees' milling was when he read an article in the Otago Daily Times last August.
The forestry block was harvested last year, with Blue Mountain College and Tapanui School each receiving $32,187.
A joint agreement was signed in 1977 between the Tapanui Borough Council, Blue Mountain College board of trustees and Tapanui School board of trustees. The agreement was transferred to the Clutha District Council in 1992, a few years after the borough was amalgamated into the new council. The agreement was then between the district council and the two schools.
Two blocks at the Tapanui waterworks reserve - of 4.5ha and 3.5ha - were planted with a mixture of Douglas fir and pinus radiata trees.
Under the agreement, the council received 50% of the proceeds from the harvesting of the 4.5ha block and each school 25%.
Mr Kane said he was disappointed the agreement between the council and the schools would no longer be in force.
"Morally speaking, the money belongs to the Tapanui county. The trees were planted looking towards the future. I think the schools should have the opportunity to replant the blocks. Tapanui has been the milk cow for the Clutha district."
Last August, the West Otago Community Board recommended the council hold $56,996 - the council's 50% share of the 4.5ha block - in a reserve account for the proposed West Otago Health Centre, to be handed over when the council's contribution of $1 million was needed. The council approved the recommendation.
Mr Kane questioned why the council received $81,151 from the second block, covering 3.5ha, saying it should have been retained in West Otago.
Clutha District Council chief executive Charles Hakkaart said the agreement with the schools only covered the 4.5ha block. He said West Otago's forestry block arrangement was unique within the Clutha district, as it was the only community that had an agreement with the council.
The new arrangement without the schools brought the forestry block into alignment with other plantations near Balclutha, Milton, and Kaitangata as the money went towards the district as a whole.
The council planned to replant the two blocks with pinus radiata, and voted not to create another joint partnership with the schools, and also decided not to offer the option to lease the land to the schools.
