Podmore to run for Ruapehu mayor

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 294, 11 July 1989, Page 1 (Supplement)

Podmore to run for Ruapehu mayor

Taumarunui Mayor Terry Podmore has announced his intention to run for mayor of the new Ruapehu District Council in October.

He says the decision comes after approaches from residents of several communities of the new district. He considers himself a well qualified candidate because of his current term as mayor of T aumarunui as well as his youth, enthusiasm and business experience. Terry Podmore was born in Auckland in 1945, educated in Hamilton and trained as a telephone technician with the Post Office. He was promoted to a position in Auckland and then to Taumarunui in 1972. He and his wife

Elaine have three children, Tracey, Kim and Rex, all of whom have completed their education at Taumarunui. He has been involved in organisations including Jaycees, of which he became a New Zealand Vice President and life member. Following his involvement in Jaycees he resigned from the Post Office and his family have become involved in a number of Taumarunui businesses including King Country Glass, Lasmore Enterprises, King Country Cashgora and the video shop

chain Video Point, which now has outlets in Te Kuiti, Ohakune, Raetihi. His most recent venture involves an overseas mushroom farming operation. Terry Podmore was elected to the Taumarunui Borough Council in 1983 and to the mayoralty in 1986. In his press release he cites some of his early commitments which he claims have come into being. They include setting up resource and development and business clinics to assist and develop business and employment opportunities, the Taumarunui Borough Junior Council Lo provide input from the area's youth into local affairs,

establishing the Taumarunui Army Cadet Corps, he has been involved in the Beautiful Taumarunui Group, Taumarunui Detached Youth Worker and the Taumarunui 1990 committee. Mr Podmore introduced an open forum before committee meetings for resident and ratepayer input into council decisions and a a ratepayer's newsletter. He says he practised the philosophy of open government, only excluding the public from meetings to consider tenders or legal matters. Other achievements include completing the successful merger of the

Taumarunui Council's MED with the KCEPB, the sale of surplus staff housing stock and developing a corporate plan. He is serving on the Ruapehu District Transition Committee, has beer involved in a regular mayoral radio talkback and press conference, and claims a "significant" reduction in the level of rate increases in the last two financial years for Taumarunui. He says the major challenge in the up coming amalgamation is the need to bring urban and rural people closer together in their understanding of each other.