News
Waiatarua Residents and Ratepayers AGM Agenda
Waiatarua Community Hall
Tuesday 18th February, 2025 – 7pm
- Welcome
- Introduction of Guests – Envirotools, Pest Free Alliance and representatives of Local Board and Council
- Formal Apologies
- Previous Minutes from AGM February 2023 – copies available and circulated via the website. Proposed/Seconded
- Presidents Report – copies available
- Vice Presidents Report – copies available
- Hall Lease renewal
- Incorporated Societies Act
- Constitution Update
- Due to law changes the WRRA Constitution has been updated – copies of the Draft Document to be ratified by residents in attendance are available – HERE and at the AGM. Proposed/Seconded/Moved
- Treasurers Report – Year End Accounts – copies available. Proposed/Seconded
Election of Committee – Nominations received are shown below. Nominations from residents are required 48 hours prior to the AGM.
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- President – Mark Wager
- Vice President – Marq Holibar
- Treasurer – Chris Fowlie
- Secretary – Lyn Chappell
- Newsletter – Erin Kingsleigh-Smith
- Library – Grant Longley
- Hall Custodian – Matt Smith
- Environment – Mark Thomassen
- Committee
- Cathie Wells – web site
- Maria Wager
- Ram Vijapurapu – IT
- A vacancy exists
- Online nomination form
- Presentations
- Henrik Waiker – Director of Envirotools: Henrik will outline their range of traps that they have developed over many years and also share some of his knowledge and insights into pest behaviour and good trapping practices.
- Pest Free Waitakere Ranges Alliance – A representative from this group will bring residents up to date regarding the various methods available to help eradicate both weeds and animal pests from the Waitakere area.
- Members of the Local Board and Councillors – will be available for residents to meet and discuss any relevant issues.
- Question Time
- Close of Meeting
Refreshments to be served at the conclusion of the Meeting
WRRA New Consitution – Draft
CONSTITUTION UPDATE 2025
Due to recent law changes, the WRRA are required to update the Constitution to meet the requirements of these changes. A Draft Document has been completed and is now available HERE to enable Residents to review ahead of the AGM. The new Constitution has to be ratified at the AGM prior to the Association completing the necessary documentation to continue as an Incorporated Society. If you have any questions, please email secretary@waiatarua.org.nz
Please be advised, Residents are required to be current Financial Members of WRRA to vote at the AGM. Membership status can be checked with the secretary on the above email address.
The Agenda for the AGM is also available for Resident’s information. HERE Please arrive for the meeting from 6.15pm onwards; registration is required on arrival and renewal of membership can be completed at this time – $20.00 per household (cash only). The meeting will commence at 7.00pm sharp
AGM 2025
Notice of Annual General Meeting
The date has been set for Tuesday 18th February 2025 at the Waiatarua Hall commencing at 7.00pm.
The activities of the Association during the past year will be reviewed and we value your input and suggestions as to what you would like the Committee to do in the coming year so come along and let us know.
Nominations for the Committee will be called – if you have a few hours a month and would like to become involved with the Association then please contact either our President, Mark Wager on email: president@waiatarua.org.nz or our Secretary, Lyn Chappell on email: secretary@waiatarua.org.nz for further information and a nomination form.
Watch this website, Facebook and Instagram for details of the guest speakers for the evening.
The WRRA is an Incorporated Society and, due to recent law changes, the Association has to renew its registration. To do this, our Constitution has been reviewed and altered to meet requirements. The revised document will be circulated via our website prior to the AGM for residents to review and comment.
A copy of the document can be emailed to you if required – email secretary@waiatarua.org.nz. It will be necessary to ratify the changes at the AGM to enable the Association to complete the registration process. Copies of the Constitution will be available at the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Fire Brigade News
CANADA BRAVO DEPLOYMENT 2024
There are few sounds in this world as distinctive as the helicopter, the wop wop of the rotor tips breaking the sound barrier is a giveaway that its a Bell 212 ‘medium’ inbound. Where it will land is infinitely variable, forest track, swamp or in a cloud of swirling darkness generated from the burnt remains of a once green wilderness.
Canada is vast, so vast, the ability for a fire to run in this environment is endless and getting ahead or around hundreds of acres of fire ground makes helicopters a vital asset. Far from a luxury in this environment they become ‘trucks’ taking personal, equipment and water dropping capability to where it is needed. Lifting off from Worsley, Alberta, I was among 10 firefighters headed north to join the rest of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bravo taskforce. We were tasked with a fire that had burnt 12,000 hectares, not big by Canada standards but if you consider New Zealand’s recent Port Hills fire at 650 hectares, we start to expose the scale of north American wildfires. A few hours north of our location were multiple fires touching on 100,000 hectares each and whilst fire can be measured in size it’s when they get into a community the real devastation hits home. Alberta, Canada’s picture perfect town of Jasper fell victim to a wildfire this season losing a 3rd of its homes and scaring it for years to come. The Jasper event was unfolding as Canada called for help, international resources responded to bolster the tired and stretched crews battling these fires.
The primary cause of these fires is lightning, a fickle force of nature that chooses its targets randomly, far from roads it can ignite fires that in the right conditions take hold and move where the conditions take them. The vastness may make the birth of a wildfire seem almost insignificant but once a fire takes hold it needs to consume, maybe slow at first but as fuel, weather and topography align it can quickly change from smouldering to extreme and race towards homes, businesses and infrastructure as an out of control disaster.
Like a local emergency in Waiatarua, an International Wildfire Taskforce responds on limited detail unsure of exactly what we they face on arrival. This call started 5 weeks of work with the Alberta Wildfire Agency getting tasked to a number of fires, some accessed by helicopter, many accessed by pick up truck and walking. Putting a ring around a wildfire and managing it to a status of OUT is a long hot and challenging process. I was fortunate to be amongst experienced and committed crew and the mahi of walking, digging and sawing was only part of our story. The greatest part of my time away was the people, my crew, the locals and the many other firefighters from around the world we meet along the way.
I could fill pages with what we did, what I saw, and how I felt but when boiled down my takeaways are simple. Amongst the sweat and work, I was reminded that morale is everything, we all contribute something here and if you get this right – 5 weeks passes pretty quick.
I didn’t expect my volunteer journey would lead me to a Canadian fireground, it started by stepping forward far too late in life and taking a chance. That step forward continues to be one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.
If you have ever wondered about taking that step forward, being part of a great team, giving back to your community and learning new skills. Our station trains every Monday at 7:30pm and your welcome to join us, I might even share a yarn over a beer.
Gareth Wilson
Senior Firefighter – Waiatarua Fire Station