Mayor warns of Americarna repercussions
EVAN HARDING
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Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt said there would be repercussions over the Americarna funding issue which he believed had put the city council and Americarna event director John Rae in a bad light.
Mr Shadbolt said councillors were generally unhappy about what had happened.
Mr Rae needed to do some media training courses and his comments were most unfortunate, Mr Shadbolt said.
He also indicated the council would look into council chief executive Richard King's actions in underwriting the $150,000 funding amount to get Americarna to Southland, without first getting permission from elected councillors.
It would come up for further discussion but he was unsure what the fallout would be.
"I think the councillors are in a state of shock with the whole thing at the moment, as are the residents and ratepayers of the city, and how that pans out we will wait and see. But it certainly puts the council in an extremely bad light and it puts, I think, Mr Rae in a bad light."
Action would be taken, Mr Shadbolt said.
"There will be repercussions, there will be fallout. Questions will be raised over this issue, it's sure to come up in a future agenda."
Deputy Mayor Jackie Kruger said the Americarna contract should never have been signed before the full funding was in place.
"Mr King has accepted responsibility for the mistake, apologised and assured us that it won't happen again."
Cr Kruger said she and Mr Shadbolt accepted that the council officers were acting in good faith, based on the success of the event the previous year.
"Fortunately, despite the unsatisfactory contract conditions, the council looks unlikely to be funding any more than the $50,000 already committed by the previous council for this year's event".
Cr Neil Boniface said Americarna would not be in Southland if it wasn't for Mr King and the council's finance director Dean Johnston.
"They obviously went too far to underwrite it without a firm [funding] commitment but sometimes you have to make these commitments [quickly], you can't always wait for the t's to be crossed ... "
Mr King declined to comment last night.
The Southland Times revealed this week that Mr King, without the consent of the elected members, underwrote the $150,000 it costs southern ratepayers and community funders to have the Americarna classic car convoy in Southland from March 23-26.
The city council had already agreed to pump $50,000 into the event. The Invercargill Licensing Trust agreed to contribute $50,000. But when the Community Trust of Southland and Gore and Southland district councils did not it left a possible $50,000 shortfall.
Americarna director John Rae, after reading a Times article this week which said some southern organisations weren't prepared to put money into his event, said the "narrowmindedness" of people in Southland sometimes blew him away.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Aaron Jacobs #20 - well Aaron, for a start i don't believe you. You work in a gas station - and feel qualified to make such a negative statement? I have done all of the Americarna events, New Plymouth, Invercargill and Lower Hutt, and had a great time at all of them. After all that's why we went - to have a good time, see some new scenery and meet new people. These events don't just happen by accident, someone or some group of people makes it happen.And we are grateful that someone like John Rae came up with a concept that we can participate in where we can cruise in our cars that we love and enjoy an area's hosptiality. Life is what you make it. There will always be people ready to put the boot in. We even came across someone in Lower Hutt who was dissing JR and yet here they were still at the event, and we saw these people having a great time at a restaurant on one of the nights. Why do smart alecs try to forge stickers etc to get into the Americarna events? Sad gits. I'm sure your boss wasn't complaining about the extra income from the Americarna cars filling up at his gas station. Aaron, keep pumping gas - I'm sure you'll go far in your chosen career
Majority of feedback from folk who stopped in for gas on the way home at the gas station I work at, who went to the Hutt event Rae put on reckoned it sucked big time. Not a patch on the Naki version and if it turns to shyte there aint a guy who deserves it more! Invercargill should ask him for a refund, he did nothing for them really and now bags them and uses the f... word to describe them, kind of tells you where his heart is, in his wallet! The deep souths a great place with cool people.
#16.
So he got all this cash, you held an open day for them, and all you guys got was $51 ??? you are right, that is an awesome deal. for HIM! Did Juniors give him any money to swing by the shop with his event? Or did you all just stop working (ie - stop making money) from 2pm to entertain them all for free? (well $51) I know, I know not our business.
So i take it from SOME of the comments here that the $150k is worth being spent when it brings in a couple thousand to the region? How about this. In 2005 the National Kartsport Sprint champs were held in Invercargill. They asked for $5k to cover the cost of holding the event in Southland. An economic impact study was done by Venture Southland whom concluded $778k was bought into the region by the people who competed and came to visit for the event. Prove that $150k is well worth spending on an event that wouldnt even break even for the ratepayer. At Easter time this year, the KartSport Nationals will AGAIN be held in Invercargill and guess what, they have asked for NO MONEY to run the event. This year will be bigger with Australian competitors coming to run...economic impact will be larger with more entries...so tell us again John and Richard, whose event should the ratepayer back?
@ BettyPoop. Did your friend John Rae drive is uncertified, unregistered, un-vinned, unwarrant of fitnessed and ILLEGAL 32 Roadster to your or any Lower Hutt Americarna event? Was he driving it on public roads? Do you, as a Hot Rod business, support this kind of behaviour? Did he drive it to Americarna Invercargill last year? Is he going to drive it to Invercargill this year? Mr Rae ignores the certification laws that every other hot rodder in NZ has to abide to and he should be kicked out of the NZHRA. He is a law unto himself and should be setting a good example, as with his high profile he is representing Hot Rodding to the public of NZ. His insulting outburst to the Southland Times has tarnished the public image of Hot Rodding - is that good for your business?
Dear Rod and Mikey, Whom I choose to be friends with is my own personal business. Yes Junior's supported AmeriCarna, and were proud to do so. We had an open day, and made $51, not that it is any of your business really. We supplied food and drink for entrants, and got to meet some really cool people, and help some unfortunate others with breakdown problems, some I might add at no charge, others at our cost as this is what being part of something like this is all about. We would do the same for a NZHRA afiliated event also if asked. So what I am understanding is that its not ok to ask for Council funding and accept it when its authorised for a Hot Rod event, but its ok for Councils all across NZ to throw truck loads at a football game? Go figure!
Mikey #14:
What the hell did you write? If you want to be understood, you should at least attempt to communicate in an understandable manner.
thanksverymuchyesireallylikedwhatyouwrote.
betty boop.yu support johnny rae..shame on yu..a great guy yu say,wot alot of codwolips.yu are like nzhra magazine..he pays yu,,for advertisind,etc..and yu back him up..for financial reasons,yu tell me wot he has actually done for the hot rodding scene..jack shit.and sad to say.he has made us real rodders,look like idiots..because we all put in his league.WRONG. long as some bunny who thinks,,because he has an american car,,wether he a tru blu car enthusist.or a wanna bees,for a few months,and then sell it..they gunna jump on the rae wagon..for one..he or they are not members of any nzhra affiliated clubs ,or nzhra.whomn got this sport and members where it is today,and that has taken many years of hard work.do we want one idiot and his demands,ego,to undo this,,get outa here,nzhra take monies for a reason,rae takes monies for a total negative cause,it not for the benefit of enthusiasts,or hotrodding.it top promo johnny rae.johhny who i say,he was in te awamutu last year,,did a big skid in some horrible mercedes..got it impounded,by local federales.loss of license.etc.he had audacity to challenge and appeal those demands,as he stated,he was on chamber of commerce,etc.and was a pillar of society.yeah rite,needless to say..he lost his case...yu southern guys dont need his ilk.he over stayed his welcome up this way....go to hot rod revue,,there are some decent stuff on there to read..
Good to see all the Gore volunteers have pulled out so the show won't be going there. Every car show, speedway, motor racing, rally or for that matter any circus relies on ticket sales to make a profit. This dipstick is just a leach. He not only expects $150k from the council, he also charges entrants! Too all who support him and want him here, I suggest you start raising the money for his next appearance, you should have enough by 2020.
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@Milt#21. What a condesending twat you are! Aaron said he worked at a gas station. You immediately assumed he was a pump attendant. How do you know he isn't a mechanic? Or the gas station owner? I have good friends that work in gas stations and they are intelligent and well mannered. Not like you! In fact, from your comments I think you are up yourself and been to the John Rae school of how to treat people like dirt.... So what kind of job do you do? Please tell us so we can see how high and mighty you are.