Council to hire marketing officer

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 416, 10 December 1991, Page 1

Council to hire marketing officer

A last-ditch attempt to block the appointment of a Ruapehu District Marketing manager failed last Friday, with five councillors voting to revoke the appointment decision and nine voting for the appointment. Taumarunui Ward councillor Don Lawson and Ohura Ward councillor Joe Murphy put up the notice of motion to have the planned appointment decision removed from the 1991-92 Council Annual Plan. Mr Lawson said there was much apprehension to the appointment in the Taumarunui business community and the general public alike. "There are some very real issues already facing us such as the problems of water, sewerage and our roading

network," said Mr Lawson. "The appointment of a marketing manager at this time is not a top priority and we would do better to concentrate our efforts on them." Mr Lawson and the other four councillors, Stuart Shaw, Bob Vine, Joe Murphy and Weston Kirton said they were not against the council employing a marketing manager but that under the present economic climate other options should be looked at. Taumarunui people had already seen funding go to groups such as ProTaum, Taumarunui Development Incorporated and more recently the Ruapehu South Business Association, said Mr Lawson and they were now asking "how much more is it (promotion) going to cost us?"

"In tough times people in business tighten their belts to survive and I'm advocating that the district council take a leaf out of their book and show some restraint on this occasion." Mr Lawson said the recession was now biting into the tourist industry, with a downturn in numbers of visitors at Auckland and Rotorua. Mr Shaw said it would be easy to identify those businesses that would benefit from the appointment of a marketing manager, with most of them being in the south of the District, and that they should pay for the appointment. "Taumarunui really hasn't got a main Turn page 2

Council to hire marketer

From page 1 attraction," he said. "Have we really got anything to promote?" "The southern end of the Ruapehu District would gain the lion's share of promoting the district but I would suggest Taumarunui would pay for most of it." He said the South should pay for the marketing manager and the person should be based in the south. Development Councillor Bill Peach said the appointment was as much about promoting the district as a good place to live and to set up in business as it was about promoting tourism. "My experience is quite different and most people I have spoken to in the north and the south are for a marketing manager, who would co-ordinate the efforts of people around the district in marketing Ruapehu,"

he said. "We have the funding in place and if ever there was a time we needed to promote ourselves it is now. We should not let this opportunity slip past us." Councillor Margie Snow said the council was making a decision for the whole district and should remember it was not just about what Taumarunui people wanted. "If people out there are as misinformed as some of the people sitting at this table are, I'm not surprised that they do not want a marketing manager," said Ms Snow. She said councillors had obviously not done their job to inform the people of what was proposed through the appointment. "Those people who are speaking against the (marketing manager) have offered very good reasons for a marketing manager," said Cr Ken Malcom. He said the meetings in Taumarunui where opposition to the

appointment was voiced were called to discuss health issues and that a "very well orchestrated" opposition to the appointment was mounted. Cr Doug Bennett said the council was already putting a lot of money into promotion but that it needed to be co-ordi-nated. "The Government is focussing on increased tourism and we've got to sell this district - we've got to get our share." Cr Weston Kirton said there were other options which could be looked at, such as setting up a marketing company to do the work proposed. Cr Graeme Cosford said there was no point in having the best sewerage, water and roading systems if no-one was here to use them.