Sleepy Hollow is slowly awakening to the thunderous interest of the upcoming triennial local body elections. Or is it (again) a quiet whisper that drifts by in October? Either way, once again, we are to be besieged with promises, self-congratulations and adulation from the worthies as to their governance prowess over the past three years. Or, even worse, promises by newly minted wannabies of sweeping improvements that collectively would stretch the budget (and rates) to dizzying heights.
Peter Carr
So, dear voters, pause – and take stock of what is being placed before you – pondering as to how about a third of you will bother to tick the boxes presented.
Firstly, why do only a third care to take any form of real interest at the ballot box? Well, this year, a proposed rates increase of over 15 per cent should be sufficient to make your eyes water enough to pick up your pens. How does this staggering increase appear beside other, nearby, councils with increases less than one third of that amount?
Couple all this with the fact that, currently, three long-standing and well respected elected councillors have announced their aspirations. (One) a highly successful and hard-working deputy mayor to dally at the regional council table while (two) others have thrown their hats into the ring for a tilt at the mayoral chair, vehicle and financial emolument that accompanies the mayoral chains.
Deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk, during a Waipā District Council meeting, is now standing for the regional council. Photo: Benjamin Wilson
Something is amiss at Waipā DC. But before taking sides please remember this is a democracy. Waipā has not been beset with a hard-hitting first term knock-them-into-shape mayor as sits in the big city to the north. Nor has it had a one term wonder, as at the bottom of the island, where attendance after hours at hostelries was publicly evident. That mayor has thrown in the towel to permit a long standing ex-minister of the crown to be gifted the role.
No – this current growth in mayoral Waipa interests smacks of something amiss that needs a public airing. All this at the start of a clear initiative by a new council chief executive charged with driving the management forward with a new Long Term Plan totally devoid of preparation for the future placing of another river crossing. Clearly, in longevity terms, the arrival of this key piece of infrastructure is light years away but planning should be clearly identified in Long Term ideals at least as to the purchase of required land for access and egress.
And is it in the best interest of the overall well-being of the district to have three well-meaning aspirants splitting the vote – especially with a pitiful voter turnout that has, sadly, become the norm?
My plea to Waipā voters is to study the form. Work out where sensibility and experience will come together in our fine district. And vote accordingly. But before doing so, listen to what the aspirants have to say. Challenge them in a professional manner where respect and commonsense can prevail.
The Chamber of Commerce has arranged an early September Town Hall election presentation by those standing to state their case. Be there, listen, question and seek more clarity that is well overdue.
