ORC to establish field centre in Oamaru

The Otago Regional Council will soon have a field centre presence in Oamaru where staff dealing with Waitaki residents can make appointments to meet them.

The centre, at 32 Ribble Street, will be a base for environmental officer Simon Stevenson and community liaison and education officer James White, effective from December 15.

ORC chief executive Peter Bodeker said the field centre would serve as a venue for small group meetings, and for one-on-one appointments with the two staff.

The Oamaru-based staff will deal with queries related to their expertise.

All general enquiries from North Otago people will continue to be handled by customer services staff in Dunedin.

However, the council would next year consider expanding the range of advice and customer services available at the centre through its Annual Plan process, Mr Bodeker said.

In the meantime, while the centre will not be manned by reception staff, signage on the door would direct people to ORC’s freephone number (0800 474 082).

Mr Bodeker said the impetus for the new presence came from the council’s introduction of new water quality rules.

It reflected the growing interaction between North Otago landholders and ORC on river management and other resource management issues, and the need for a venue for all parties to meet and discuss topics which were better dealt with face-to-face rather than by phone.

The new facilities will help ORC in its work with Waitaki District Council and other local agencies, Mr Bodeker said.

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