Waimarino to fill councillor vacancy

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 272, 31 January 1989, Page 7

Waimarino to fill councillor vacancy

Ron Burrows, the next highest polling Ohakune Ward candidate in the Waimarino District Council elections, is to be asked by the council to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Coun-

cillor Ellen Gould. Councillors decided to fill the vacancy by appointment rather than election because of the short time until the next local body elections. Mr Burrows served on the Ohakune Borough

Council before the Waimarino amalgamation. At the WDC meeting last week Cr Thompson moved that the next highest polling candidate be appoirited, if available.

Mayor Workman suggested advertising the decision to appoint someone to fill the vacancy before deciding how the appointment should be made, but Cr Thompson said he felt the public should know how the council planned to make the appointment. He suggested if the next highest polling candidate was not available then the next should be asked. Cr Summerhays suggested the position be left vacant, consider-

ing the short time in office the councillor would spend. He said the WDC was now united and councillors were now working for the good of all wards. Cr Punch said the cost of an election was a factor in the decision and agreed that the position be filled by appointment. Mayor Workman suggested the appointment be made by advertising for people interested in filling the vacancy if none of the unsuccessful candi-

dates were willing or available. The council heard that about 37 people would need to object for an election to be forced. Cr Griffiths said he would prefer the council to advertise for interested persons because more than 37 objections may be re-

ceived if council chose Cr Thompson's suggestion and thus an election would have to be held. Cr Thompson said he felt his original motion was the fairest and that council deciding to choose a replacement could also draw many objections.