“The Rest is Silence”

"Thanks for your input, but we don't care..."

“Thanks for your input, but we don’t care…”

“But I do prophesy th’ election lights
On Fortinbras. He has my dying voice.
So tell him, with th’ occurrents, more and less,
Which have solicited – the rest is silence.”

Hamlet Act V Scene 2

When last we left our submission-making protagonist, he had just made his presentation to Napier City Council and was eagerly awaiting the results.

And waiting.

And waiting….

Then the council released the results of their submission process (viewable HERE: Report from NCC LTP & AP Submissions Hearing )

Aaaaaannnnnndddd……

Nothing.

Most of the key projects the council had been championing, promoting and featured as a major part of the submission form got the go ahead, with “overwhelming support”.

But no mention of my submission!

No mention of the council reviewing their outdated Youth Policy or “YCON” website.

No money, services or interest in allocating assistance to Napier’s youth, or trying to keep any of the almost one thousand students who finish Hawke’s Bay high schools each year and leave the region each year.

What the hell??!!

Were my submissions wrong??

Did they deserve to be totally and utterly ignored??

I did plenty of research. I used facts and statistics. I made what I and those who read and shared my posts thought were valid arguments and points and I made suggestions on how this situation could be overcome.

All for nought, it appears.

The only semi-NCC-related-reaction I got was this on Twitter:

Is someone telling tales out of school?

Is someone telling tales out of school?

The “Michelle” Condy mentions is Councillor Michelle Pyke and Condy helps run “The Thirsty Whale” – a bar previously owned by Councillor Keith “Spongy” Price.

I don’t know what you will make of that comment, but it certainly seems to be more of an insight to a catty mind-set among some of Napier’s elected officials, rather than any smudge on my concept of empowering Napier’s youth to stay in the region and help it prosper.

If that attitude is any gauge as to how Napier is being led, then the decision behind Funding Request 13 for the Art Deco Trust comes as no surprise:

“Discussions covered the huge “in kind” contribution made to Art Deco events during Art Deco Weekend, and (sic) the committee was concerned that there were no financial plans, or justification for the large sum of money requested.”

And yet:

“It was decided to fund the Art Deco Trust usual $59,000 in service contract but fund an additional $41,000 specifically for events. This would bring the annual funding to $100,000.”

Translation: “We’re a bit worried that you can’t justify why you need so much money, or show us what you will do with it, but, what the heck – We’ll give it to you anyway!”

Now there’s the sort of sound logic we know from our council of old!

Napier City Council once again puts tourists ahead of its own residents.

That. Is. WRONG!

And that is the core argument behind my submission.

Napier STILL deserves better than this!

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