Council decides on by-election

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 18, 2 October 1984, Page 3

Council decides on by-election

Ohakune Borough Council had two options following last month's resignation of Councillor Gary MacKenzie who has since been appointed Assistant Town Clerk. One option was to fill the vacant position on the Council by appointment. The other was to hold a by-election. Because of the cost involved in holding a byelection — a postal vote election is estimated to cost about $1200 — many councillors would have preferred to appoint someone to the vacant seat on council and in fact two prospective candidates had been approached. One was the next highest polling unsuccessful candidate at last year's local authority's election Mrs Pat J3urns. Mrs Burns declined for personal reasons. It is understood that Council also approached former councillor and deputy mayor Bruce Thompson to see if he would be interested in coming back onto council but he too declined. Council therefore decided on the second of the two options despite Cr Errol Sue's advice that "there was no money in the estimates for a by-election." Crs Mike Wiggins and Peter Hammond favoured the by-election option because it would not then be seen as the council "picking and choosing" people who might favour and support the policies of the present council. They both felt that because of the amount of criticism council had received over many of its decisions some of these people who had been voicing that criticism in the past should be given the opportunity of joining the Council to influence its future policies. Cr Wiggins said a byelection would allow critics of the council to "stand up and be counted." WINTER FUEL 40kg Bags Coal Carbonettes Cosy Coal Bags Wood (Cheapest in Town) SKIERS INN 82 Clyde Street 7am-7pm Open 7 Days

Cr Snow Brannigan also expressed support for the by-election option saying that "it was the only way of solving the problem about the many public comments and criticisms of the present council and its decisions."

Council decided on the by-election option and details have since been announced. The election of one councillor will take place on Saturday 8 December and nomfnations of candidates

must be in the hands of the Returning Officer, Mrs E.M. Moore, at the Ohakune Borough Council Chambers no later than noon on Wednesday 17 October. (See Public Notices for further details.)