First Ruapehu mayor sworn in

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 313, 14 November 1989, Page 1

First Ruapehu mayor sworn in

Ruapehu District's first councillors and mayor must live up to the trust and confidence placed in them by voters, they must work as a team and create solid foundations for the new district. That was how Ruapehu District Mayor Garrick Workman saw the council's future when he made his first speech after being sworn in to office at a ceremony at Taumarunui last Wednesday. Mayor Workman and the new Waimarino and Waiouru councillors where welcomed onto the Taumarunui "marae", at the old Taumarunui Borough Council offices. Raetihi Maori people escorted the new southern Ruapehu local government representatives and Taumarunui Maori people and councillors welcomed them. Mayor Workman thanked his Raetihi people for accompanying him and made special mention of D'Arcy and Stella

Mills, Jack Gray and Julie Arahanga. He thanked Kevin and Flo Arahanga for their help in organising the ceremony. Mayor Workman^ said the council must make;the welfare of the whole district its goal, thinking "district" in the process. "While we may mourn the passing of our counties and boroughs with whom many of us have been so closely associated, we must realise, whether we like it or not, things have changed," he said. "This is a new district council constituted under a new system of local government. The ground rules have changed and it is important that we look forward and work within the new system rather than maintain practices because of traditions." Mayor Workman mentioned rates when he talked of the challenge of the job. He said the council faces a challenge to operate an effective and efficient unit

where economies can be achieved through combining resources. "Rates must not escalate," he said. Mayor Workman said the new community boards will be an essential part of the new council structure, operating at grass roots level. "As the primary role of the elected council will now be the consideration of policy initiatives and maintaining oversight of service delivery, then this shift in focus places a heavy onus on management to perform to the council's and community 's satisfaction." Referring to the District's General Manager Cliff Houston and his facing the new challenges Mayor Workman said "I have every confidence in your ability to do so. If you do you will hear about it, if you don't you will hear about it."