(With just six candidates for six positions, there won’t need to be an election this year to vote in members of the Raglan Community Board. Update 16th August: After taking legal advice, WDC now says that there will be an election. When there is an election it provides a reflection of voter choices by the number of votes for each candidate. The Board members can then consider that vote count when they come to vote in the Chairperson.
The members for the 2016 – 2019 Board will be:
- Bob MacLeod
- Tony Oosten
- Alan Vink
- PJ Haworth
- Rangi Kereopa
- Gabrielle Parson
And Lisa Thomson as Ward Councillor will also be a member.
The Board Chair is appointed in the same way as the Prime Minister – by a vote of the members. Prior to 2010, the person selected has been a person who scored first or second in the electorate vote. In 2013 there was the same situation as we have this year with six candidates and six positions resulting in no voting by the community. So no signal of the Raglan community’s desire for who the Chair should be. In 2013, the Board members met then voted in as Chairperson, Linda Cole. She later resigned when she moved to Kawhia. Alan Vink was then appointed.
So to remove the temporary vacuum of around who the community wants and to give the incoming Board some idea of the feelings in the Raglan Whaingaroa community on who the Chair should be, I’ve set up a poll.
Consider when voting that the person has to have the time available to do the job properly- at least 15 hours a week and be capable of dealing with diverse community groups and the Waikato District Council. And the person needs to want to do the job.
Anyway you now get a chance to have a say on this.