Ōtaki Ward councillor James Cootes has resigned as chair of Elevate Ōtaki, citing a lack of support for the group from Kāpiti Coast District Council.
James offered his resignation to a meeting in April, saying he was “extremely disappointed” to be doing so after he’d put so much work into the group and securing the initial funding.
“I didn’t think I could continue to lead the group when, despite repeated requests to KCDC, we weren’t getting the support we were promised,” he told Ōtaki Today.
“It started to impact on my personal reputation and of those in the group who have made a significant contribution of volunteer time.”
He says locals had been asking why Elevate Ōtaki was seen to be not achieving anything, nor making progress on projects. It came to a head when there were bureaucratic delays in appointing Flightdec to work on an Ōtaki identity programme.
“It was enormously embarrassing and frustrating for me and the group to make a decision and then wait months before the appointment could be made, effectively setting us back. If there is any silver lining in my resignation, it’s that the council has finally started acting on its promises of support.”
At Elevate’s May meeting, James agreed to a proposal that he remain on the group as a project co-ordinator so his skills and experience could be retained. It was seen as vital that the identity work continue unimpeded.
The Elevate Ōtaki group is tasked with promoting the town and district, with particular emphasis on mitigating and enhancing the effects of the expressway.
KCDC declined an invitation to comment.
LATEST POSTS
- Cobblers Soup team looking for helpers
- Community gets behind Te Horo Hall fund
- Library recycling old domestic batteries recycling old domestic batteries
- Reservoir work progresses apace
- Murals brighten Te Horo Beach toilets
- Local SAR teams help in bush search
- New passion, new business for busy Bee
- Kite crazy
- Green waste beach dumping concerns
- Six-month bridge lane closure looms
- End of an era as Raukawa Dairy closes
- Community at heart of Mary-Jane’s ONZM
- Cops nail burnout hoons
- Racing club development goes for consent
- Pizza workers claim exploitation
- Memories revived as teen friends reunite
- All Saints gets a spruce-up
- Kāinga Ora reveals new homes
- Challenges, but optimism for Ōtaki shops
- Bridge work brings stop-start traffic
- Accommodation
- Achievements Celebrations
- Active Recreation
- Animals
- Arts Culture
- Attractions
- Business
- Cafes Restaurants Bars
- Children
- Come To Live Here
- Come To Visit
- Commemorations and Reunions
- Community
- Community Action
- Community Development
- Community Economic Development
- Community Resilience
- Community Services
- Complaints Protest
- Crime
- Development Business
- Development Economic
- Development Urban Planning
- Eco Environment
- Education
- Education Skills
- Emergency Preparedness
- Event Promotion
- Family
- Family History
- Food Drink
- Fundraising
- Health
- History Legacy
- Housing
- Infrastructure
- Kindness Respect
- Language
- Local People
- Local Political
- Maori
- Obituaries
- Philanthropy
- Political
- Projects Causes
- Recognition Awards
- Rural Communities
- Safe Behaviour
- Safe Communities
- Service Clubs
- Shopping Retail
- Spirituality Religion
- Stories About People
- Technology Science
- Town Environments
- Transport
- Volunteering
- Young People
- Youth Employment