Mosgiel Taieri Community Board (Taieri Subdivision) By-election

My husband and I are Dunedin born and bred. Last year we returned to our home town to be near family. We are thoroughly enjoying our 10 acre lifestyle block near Mosgiel.

During 35 years farming near Invercargill, I was a rural community board member for 14 years, three as the chairman until 2004. I represented the board on council committees for rating reviews, resource consents, drainage and dog control. In my experience, community boards are the engine room of local government. They are the link between a community and council. I believe an experienced and knowledgeable voice on rural issues such as roading, flood protection, drainage, pest control and the RMA is essential for the Taieri area. My degree in Business Law, which included papers on local government, has been of great assistance.

For strong, approachable representation vote Pam Mason for the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board.

My community focus on the Taieri has mainly been with leading the Mosgiel Community Playgrounds Trust in the development of the Mosgiel park and playground. In this role I dealt extensively with council, local community groups, contractors, funding bodies and an exceptional team of volunteers to bring the park into reality.

Now the park is almost complete, I see working on the Community Board as an opportunity to continue community work. If elected, I would especially like to connect with local trusts and societies, and help them to access funds and complete projects that would benefit the Taieri community.

I live in Outram with my wife and four children, and run an IT software and consulting business.

Family man married with five children and five grandchildren residing in the Board area. Self employed contractor with business operation in Mosgiel.

"I am involved in a number of community activities with my other interests being dancing and sport. With the growing number of residents in the Taieri Subdivision a strong new voice is needed to support and advocate community concerns for the upkeep and continuing improvement of this widespread area."

"Being conversant with the operations of a Community Board and the City Council I am prepared and capable of working on your behalf to champion the needs of the residents to ensure all services and amenities are regularly monitored creating a desired locality to live and work."

As an individual whose past is steeped in Local Body governance, I humbly seek your support in my quest for election.

Many will be aware that I served the Taieri constituency for years as a City Councillor and I am motivated to return by the alarming escalation of City debt and the apparent absence of fiscal discipline.

My record as an elected member was characterised by my steadfast resistance to ratepayer exposure to projects beyond core activities. My philosophy remains unchanged. I acknowledge that representation on a Community Board is at the lower end of governance influence, but somehow the principles of fiscal discipline have to be restored if ratepayer expenditure on 'vanity projects' has any prospects of being reined in.

I humbly seek your First Preference support in my quest to 'bring back the biff' to those who continue to play fast and loose with us; the captive ratepayers.