Charlie Death, chairman of the Eketahuna Community Board, is one of the most connected chairmen in the district, Tararua mayor Tracey Collis says.
After 19 years on the community board and seven of those as chairman, Mr Death finally found time in his busy life to speak at a district council meeting last week.
"Charlie is always in the loop and people say we couldn't do without him," Mrs Collis said.
Mr Death said the almost completed Eketahuna town upgrade is creating a buzz in the southern Tararua town and he only hears positive comments.
"It's fantastic and I'm hoping Pahiatua can achieve similar results," he said.
Mrs Collis said the Eketahuna town upgrade "warms my heart".
The $430,000, four-stage upgrade project earned the Eketahuna Community Board the supreme award at the Local Government New Zealand 2017 conference, as well as the enhancing communities award.
