By Hayley Gastmeier
[email protected]
It was Featherston’s turn to hear what local body candidates would do for the town, should they be elected onto the South Wairarapa District Council. Over 180 ratepayers were at Anzac Hall for the meeting, arranged by Featherston Lions, Jennie Monks and Sonya Logan. Contending mayoral candidates and Featherston Ward hopefuls had two minutes or less to express what they would do for the district. The presentations were followed by a Q and A session, before a mix and mingle over supper.
Peter Love
Love did not intend to make promises that he could not keep.
If elected, he would be “available at all times” and not one of “those politians that promises the moon to get your vote and then walk away”.
Love said he had a lot of experience, working both in New Zealand and abroad.
“You would get a great job done by me,” he said. Love would “put some colour” into SWDC.
Dayle Harwood
Born and raised in Featherston, Harwood has lived the majority of his life in the town.
He has been on a school board as chairman and for the last 24 years has run his own business in IT and telecommunications.
Harwood, passionate about Wairarapa’s waterways, feels “compelled to give back” to the town. He is “in tune” with the district and understands much council work is unglamorous.
Colin Olds
Old is seeking a second term on SWDC.
As a Featherston business owner who lives in Tauherenikau, Olds is “in touch” with both the urban and rural communities.
He was inaugural chairman of Featherston Menz Shed and is president of Featherston Anzac Club.
For 22 years he work on Wairarapa’s coastline as a fisheries officer.
He is on the Whaitua Committee and he supports a “Wairarapa wide council”.
Lee Carter
Carter is standing because the Featherston community is important to her and she wants to make sure ratepayers’ money is wisely spent.
She said the 2016 election was a great opportunity for “culture change”, especially “the interface between council, people and service delivery”.
If elected, Carter would offer “action with passion and pride”. She said “flourishing” Featherston “could be the town that leads this district into massive change”.
Pete Roberts
If elected, Roberts hopes to “enable better engagement” between council and South Wairarapa residents.
He would ensure core services were prioritised over other projects.
Roberts wants to see pensioner housing increased to meet demand, and to review and progress the wastewater irrigation to land scheme to minimise discharge to waterways.
He said he would continue to push for transport improvements for the region.
Robyn Ramsden
Ramsden said she had “youth, vigour and experience” on her side.
A graduate of Canterbury University, where she studied classical history and geology, Ramsden has nine years’ experience in public service, including a role in parliament with ministerial services.
She is passionate “about supporting our youth” and wants to encourage youth focus groups with adequate funding.
If elected, she would solve the town’s “water quality problem”.
Perry Cameron
Cameron said he was mainly interested in the Wairarapa local government reform.
His main concern was “the governance and management restructuring”.
He said if amalgamated, “we need a Wairarapa governance council with equal representation from each of the three districts . . . which must focus on unified economic growth and residents’ wellbeing”, which would be enhanced by “completion of the KiwiRail twin-track between Trentham and Upper Hutt”.
Mayoral candidates were profiled last week in Wairarapa Times-Age’s Saturday edition.
