Dayle Harwood announces a mayoralty campaign for South Wairarapa. PHOTO/EMMA BROWN
EMMA BROWN
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Former South Wairarapa district councillor Dayle Harwood is looking to shake things up at this year’s local body elections, announcing he will run for mayor.
The announcement will shock many, as did his resignation from the council in April 2018, citing “no confidence” in the chief executive at the time, Paul Crimp, and Mayor Viv Napier.
The council now has a new chief executive, Harry Wilson, who Harwood feels is saying all the right things.
Napier has confirmed she will be seeking a further term.
Harwood said he does not feel remorseful for resigning.
“I struggled feeling I wasn’t listened too in the council,” he said.
“It took a toll on me to resign … It would have been easy to have just left it at that, however I am a person of action and will always put my money where my mouth is.”
Harwood moved to Carterton from Featherston 14 months ago to help a friend in Masterton with their business.
He said he never considered running for office in Carterton as he was “born and bred’ in South Wairarapa — he does not think you have to live in a place to do good things.
“I am community-minded and a very practical person who works to solve problems.”
He is ready for the challenges ahead and believes his previous problem with the way issues were communicated and dealt with by the council have already changed for the better.
But he found the council to be reactive, feeling that some of the problems could have been “nipped in the bud” or at least work started on them earlier.
“The economic road ahead is looking as bumpy as some of the still-to-be-sealed roads of the district, there are trying times ahead, but tough times can also be the most rewarding.”
He wants to continue work on improving public consultation.
“At the end of the day though, council needs to make decisions,” Harwood said.
He hopes the community will embrace his honesty.
“Look I am here, consider me for the role.”
Once a quitter al aya a quitter