The board gathered at the Portobello Bowling Club for the meeting, which began with a reflection from new board member Stacey Kokaua-Balfour, who said she felt privileged to be part of such a "practical and action-focused board".
Following the swearing-in of fellow elected member Edna Stevenson, the board heard presentations from two Otago Peninsula residents during the public forum.
Hoopers Inlet Hall committee chairman Sam Neill spoke in support of the group’s application for retrospective funding of $2000 towards its recent $8250 project to replace the 75-year-old community hall’s dilapidated fence.
The timing of the work meant the hall committee was unable to apply for the funding before the end of the last triennium, and so the cost of the fence was covered from hall funds and committee members’ pockets, leaving its funding reserves depleted.
During questions, board members commended the Hoopers Inlet Hall committee for taking the initiative to get the work done when a fencer was available, and later in the meeting the board approved a grant of $1500 towards the cost.
Otago Peninsula resident and speed limit campaigner Tom Churchill spoke to the board about his ongoing lobbying of the Dunedin City Council on the issue of 40kmh road signs and speed bumps.
He was particularly concerned about the environmental impact of speed bumps and the noise pollution created by construction trucks going over bumps in Macandrew Bay, and said neither the DCC nor Waka Kotahi seemed prepared to take responsibility.
Mr Churchill’s presentation sparked a discussion among the board, which had itself raised the issue of the placement of 40kmh signs on the peninsula.
Board chairman Paul Pope said the discussion with the council would continue, particularly around the placement of signs, and undertook to write to the council for an update. The board heard from DCC Ara Toi arts strategy adviser Lisa Wilkie on the nine designs received from Otago Peninsula artists for a mural on two new local bus shelters.
Mr Pope said he and Ms Kokaua-Balfour had taken a look at the designs, which were "really good and different in a positive way" and featured images relating to the environment and character of the area.
A decision on the final mural designs has not yet been made.
Ms Wilkie also reported to the board on progress on a public artwork for Tomahawk Rd, which was ongoing and should be installed next year.
Mr Pope said that would be a monumental day, as it would mark the first time in 200 years there were two pieces of Maori art on the peninsula.
DCC transport delivery senior project manager Susil Gunathilake also addressed the board, sharing information about planned road safety work at the Taiaroa Head intersection with Harington Point Rd from February to May 2023.
Board deputy chairman Hoani Langsbury asked if the work could be pushed back a month in order to give local tourism operators the best possible chance of a successful summer.
Road name
At its meeting last week, the board considered an application from a developer for support in renaming a new legal road in Broad Bay as Batham Way.
The board gave its support, subject to consultation with iwi, and suggested the council ensured that its road naming management specified the involvement of tangata whenua.
Funding grants
A grant of $1000 was approved for the Kamau Taurua community for Quarantine Island jetty repairs.
A grant of $440 was approved for Broad Bay community centre for its newsletter.
A grant of $1500 was approved for the Hoopers Inlet hall for its fence replacement.
Scholarships of $300 were granted to Liam Donovan, to attend the National Summer Games Special Olympics this month, and Finn Herbert, to attend the NZ Outward Bound course in January 2023.
