Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden and Transport Minister Phil Twyford study soil samples at a geotech drilling site for O2NL.
Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden and Transport Minister Phil Twyford study soil samples at a geotech drilling site for O2NL.
Incumbent Mayor of Horowhenua Bernie Wanden has announced his intention to seek re-election in October.
Wanden said it was always his intention to stand for Mayor again and wanted to continue to be part of what he saw as a transformational period in the region's history.
While the call for nominations wasn't required until next month Wanden saw no reason to keep his cards on his chest.
"I'm keen to give it another shot and letting the public know early is the responsible thing to do, and to give the community confidence that we want to continue this momentum," he said.
"It's an honour and a priviledge to be in this position and personally I would be doing a disservice to the role if I chucked it in now."
The 67-year-old, who ousted previous Mayor Michael Feyen at the last election in 2019, said he believed the district had made massive strides in the past two and a half years.
"We've come a long way. The perception has changed completely and there is a degree of optimism that wasn't there a few years ago."
Wanden said a term as Mayor had given him a deeper understanding of the role and he wanted more time at the crease to guide the district through what he saw as a major transformational period.
HDC this week formally signed off a Horowhenua Growth Strategy, working closely with the community and businesses, which he said would provide a blueprint for how the district would react to that growth for the next 20 years.
"A lot of work has gone into this strategy and plans are in place for where we want to take the district," he said.
"I know the things that are ahead of us and it's going to need balance and consideration to make sure we stay on track."
He said it was important Horowhenua continued to part a key role in discussions with Government and regional strategies, like the Ōtaki to Levin highway, given the challenges around growth predictions that could see the district's population top 60,000 by 2041.
From right: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden, Levin farmer Brendon McDonnell and Muaupoko kaumatua Marokopa Wiremu-Matakatea turn the first sods at Tara Ika.
Infrastructure work for an entire new township called Tara-Ika, to be built to the east of Levin with an estimated 2500 new homes, was already underway, as were preliminary plans for a new $33 million water reservoir to ensure future town supply.
There were also major changes to the way local government would operate on the horizon, with a possible upheaval of the Three Waters sector and a review into the structure of local government itself.
"These conversations are going to happen in the next two or three years and we could be operating in a whole new landscape and we will need stability and balance around that."
Wanden credited his wife Sharon and family, and staff at his business Paper Plus, for supporting him and allowing him to fully devote his attention to the role as Mayor.
He won by a strong majority in the 2019 election, gaining 5792 votes. Victoria Kaye-Simmons received 3737 votes and Feyen 3541.
