What do you get for $360,000?

$360k could buy you many things. F&G's Eastern Whangamarino block has swallowed that much already, with only 3 ponds and the car park completed. The next round of funding from Waikato Catchment Ecological Enhancement Trust (WCEET http://www.wceet.org.nz/wceet-funding-update/) is due to be contested soon. With 16 ponds and a car park area to be funded, there is a feeling of being on the knife edge - if funding is not forthcoming we're pretty stuck. I say "we" because like it or not, any enduring or legacy business from old council is now ours.

Here's a link to progress http://vimeo.com/9199873

I'm not against this type of project at all, and in fact congratulate councilor Cocks and ex councilor Williamson on their resolute and unwavering ambition to get this done. I really hope that mistakes of the past have been learned from. Stuffing ponds in for the sake of stuffing ponds in, in turn stuffs the ducks. A gun per 3-4 hectares = bye bye ducks.

But, I really am feeling a bit mystified about where the funds have gone. For $1,800 we (our party) got a day's machine & driver time. By my calcs that would be 200 working days under the WCEET funding. 200 working days is more than 3 ponds worth. Ok, gotta acknowledge the crushing and clearing that happens prior to a sod being turned... but still, I'm uneasy with the dollar amount expended for the return.

If we follow the normal model of cost recovery at pond ballot time, then shooters winning the ballot ought to be ready to shell out (to date) $22,500 per pond. But whoops, there's more to come. I know I'm being glib, it is after all granted monies. But still this is worth more than a passing thought.