Bermgate 2013

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#907777 4-Oct-2013 11:23

We used to get our berms mowed (stopped a long time ago) and before we put opur fence up, the guy used to ride his mower up our driveway and mow our front lawn too...for no particular reason and for no gain.

We appreciated this freebie as our mower was knackered and I had to use a hand-mower for the back and sides of the property.

We also used to have regular street cleaners (that all stopped a while ago too) and the council used to spray the weeds on the gutter-edge as well.

None of that is now done, but there are still areas of the Super City where their priveleges have not been taken away - mainly where Len Brown's target audience live...

In my opinion, it's no biggie to mow your own berm, but I do see the OP's point, when it comes to apartment blocks and commercial property.

When I used to mow my lawn myself (before I "employed" my father in law to do it - he owns a lawn business), I used to mow my berm, my neighbour's berm and the berm in front of the public reserve next to my home.
Never really thought about it...just assumed it was a nice and proper thing to do.

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#908021 4-Oct-2013 17:33

In Christchurch I've seen council land, beside bike paths and walkways even in fancier parts of town, where the grass has been left to grow about a metre high and flax bushes left to overgrow like large barriers. Every year. Cut to the CBD getting it's gardening done while the red zone barriers were still up, despite business owners being denied access because the streets are too dangerous... I guess the CCC gardeners moonlight as structural engineers, so it's ok for them to be there.

Off to watch Parks and Recreation.

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#908063 4-Oct-2013 18:54

Geektastic: On a side issue, what is this very odd NZ word "domain"?!

Where on earth did that come from? Given that a significant number of early settlers were British, I find it very odd because that word would never be used in English English to describe what is in fact a 'public park'! There isn't a Hyde Domain in London, for example, or a Green Domain tube station!

It's one of those NZ words I find it very hard to say because they sound so 'wrong' to me (like Manchester - it's linen, and "find a park" which should be "find a parking space").

What NZ word? Domain or alternative spellings was introduced to England by its Norman overlords so long ago that you've forgotten it.

Manchester became a synonym for cotton goods when 80% of all cotton goods came from Lancashire. If the term isn't used in the UK now it's probably to stop the Indians and Pakistanis living there laughing.

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#908066 4-Oct-2013 19:02

Bung:
Geektastic: On a side issue, what is this very odd NZ word "domain"?!

Where on earth did that come from? Given that a significant number of early settlers were British, I find it very odd because that word would never be used in English English to describe what is in fact a 'public park'! There isn't a Hyde Domain in London, for example, or a Green Domain tube station!

It's one of those NZ words I find it very hard to say because they sound so 'wrong' to me (like Manchester - it's linen, and "find a park" which should be "find a parking space").

What NZ word? Domain or alternative spellings was introduced to England by its Norman overlords so long ago that you've forgotten it.

Manchester became a synonym for cotton goods when 80% of all cotton goods came from Lancashire. If the term isn't used in the UK now it's probably to stop the Indians and Pakistanis living there laughing.

Domain does not mean public park in the UK. Yes, we use the word - "Lord of his domain" for example - but it implies vast tracts of privately owned land over which in the good old days you would have had control of your serfs. It has never been used to describe a small area of land kids play football on!

Linen was never called Manchester in the UK - it would cause confusion because Manchester is a placename which is why those of us from that part of the globe find it funny. It would be like us calling Anchor Butter 'Auckland"! Pass the Auckland, would you dear?

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#908068 4-Oct-2013 19:04

PaulBags: In Christchurch I've seen council land, beside bike paths and walkways even in fancier parts of town, where the grass has been left to grow about a metre high and flax bushes left to overgrow like large barriers. Every year. Cut to the CBD getting it's gardening done while the red zone barriers were still up, despite business owners being denied access because the streets are too dangerous... I guess the CCC gardeners moonlight as structural engineers, so it's ok for them to be there.

Off to watch Parks and Recreation.

I blame the ACC.

If the councils could be sued by people injuring themselves mowing council land, rest assured that the council would be mowing it.

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#908176 4-Oct-2013 22:13

It's time for you JAFFAS to catch up with the rest of New Zealand and take pride in your community and mow your berms. :-)

Seriously though I do think you've been ripped off with your rates. The council stopped mowing the berms to save money, did this mean a reduction in rates or even a nil increase? Sadly not, for you poor souls. Nothing like local government spending money, your money, like it will never run out. It gets better they want to take on more stuff that was the responsibility of central government.

Now there's idiots in this part of the country, Hamilton, who want to repeat the flawed super city model. It's not about creating greater efficiency it's all about creating a bigger empire and the salaries that go with it.

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#908190 4-Oct-2013 22:59

Should we diversify this thread to include free domestic rubbish removal in central AK where the poor westies have to not only now their own berms but they have to buy council rubbish bags for weekly collection

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#908195 4-Oct-2013 23:15

Geektastic:I blame the ACC.

If the councils could be sued by people injuring themselves mowing council land, rest assured that the council would be mowing it.

Maybe not sued by the injured person but the site safety rules probably double the costs now.

I have about 50m2 of grass outside my fence that the Wellington Council have never mown. There is a bank opposite that used to be done twice yearly by a team of scrub cutters. Now it's done once a year by one guy with a tractor mounted mower and 3 guys from a traffic management company alternately moving road cones and just watching him.

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#908196 4-Oct-2013 23:17

Wade: Should we diversify this thread to include free domestic rubbish removal in central AK where the poor westies have to not only now their own berms but they have to buy council rubbish bags for weekly collection

Wheelie bins are so much better. Can take up too much of the footpath, but still better than animal foraged rubbish strewn everywhere.

Either way you pay for rubbish collection. Imagine if your council made itself responsible for all rubbish, picking up any bags or crud on the side of the road. Imagine how much that would cost you in rates.

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#908198 4-Oct-2013 23:19

Do they say you have to mow it or maintain it? If I had a berm it would be getting weedkiller like the rest of the pointless lawn on my property.

Richard rich.ms

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#908212 4-Oct-2013 23:44

i found one of my neighbours walking a lamb today. not a usual sight in balmoral, central auckland. i'm wondering if the lamb is their solution to #bermageddon

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#908213 4-Oct-2013 23:46

Thats another option, tie a goat up on the berm. Probably get stolen tho...

Richard rich.ms

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#908311 5-Oct-2013 08:38

PaulBags:
Wade: Should we diversify this thread to include free domestic rubbish removal in central AK where the poor westies have to not only now their own berms but they have to buy council rubbish bags for weekly collection

Wheelie bins are so much better. Can take up too much of the footpath, but still better than animal foraged rubbish strewn everywhere.

Either way you pay for rubbish collection. Imagine if your council made itself responsible for all rubbish, picking up any bags or crud on the side of the road. Imagine how much that would cost you in rates.

We westies do get the council zipping around on little motorbikes picking up rubbish. We also pay for rubbish bags.
I believe our rates have historically been the highest in the Auckland region for a long time, while some peoples rates are rising, mine are decreasing. So much so, they have a limit to how much ones rates can go down by per year, my rates decrease are limited to this maximum limit.

Cheers,
Joseph

Edit, also I know you're likely joking about us westies, but a rubbish bag is, I believe about $2.10. My family is of 5 people so we usually put out 2 on rubbish day, for a total spend of over $200 per year, that the other areas in auckland don't seem to have to pay.

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#908419 5-Oct-2013 12:58

Shore has to pay too, I prefered in the old days when you could put a sticker on the black bags, since I had a wheely bin service I paid for, so I could only put the stickers on bags if the wheely bin was full. As it is now I have to estimate when a bag will be full and choose either a black one or a prepaid council one depending if I expect the bin to fill up or now.

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#908484 5-Oct-2013 15:29

Technofreak: It's time for you JAFFAS to catch up with the rest of New Zealand and take pride in your community and mow your berms. :-)

Seriously though I do think you've been ripped off with your rates. The council stopped mowing the berms to save money, did this mean a reduction in rates or even a nil increase? Sadly not, for you poor souls. Nothing like local government spending money, your money, like it will never run out. It gets better they want to take on more stuff that was the responsibility of central government.

Now there's idiots in this part of the country, Hamilton, who want to repeat the flawed super city model. It's not about creating greater efficiency it's all about creating a bigger empire and the salaries that go with it.

I pay almost $3000 a year in rates for which

1) My verges are not mown
2) The drainage ditch is not sprayed
3) My rubbish is not collected AT ALL
4) I get amateur hour road repairs that take months, are done to no standard and require re-doing within 2 months
5) Every time I interact with council staff it is like a visit to a special needs educational centre

So you Jaffas should count yourselves lucky really......!

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