Decision making is supposed to be messy. It's how you negotiate new directions. Good decisions come from a push from below not a dictate from above.
Not every councillor will think the same and not every constituency will want them to. It's called good democracy.
It's annoying because it's about people and consensus. That's why communism is so satisfying.
Everyone is so united, or if they're not you can always make them disappear. Still it's always good to see new faces and for some of the councillors their signage says it all: '[Please!] Vote for ... or ... "Back Again ... [What? Like Arnie?]" Re-elect ..."
It's all a bit tired.
The lucky people of Ruakaka have the choice of two councillors who have been in power since the time of the woolly mammoth and some young man who ... er ... looks rather like a friendly, woolly mammoth.
What is it with hipsters and their facial hair? Dude: one day that thing will rise up and take over your house in your sleep. Is it even, like, registered or something?
There seems to be some disparaging of the idea of "steady as she goes" however given the mayoral merry-go-round Whangarei had to weather where the management ended up to all intents and purposes running the show for years. I'd have thought a steady hand would be a good thing.
The council has a relatively new CEO, it would be unusual if it hadn't taken a few years just to unravel legacy issues that might have stemmed from previous weak governance.
You'd need at least two terms to hit your stride in any new direction you wanted to take the town.
Nice to note Brent Mawson's cherry face on the electorate boards of my old ward. His background in early childhood education and tertiary educational leadership may help to get the education of our young people back on the table in terms of regional economic development.
There is lots to choose from and it does matter. So dig out those papers and have your say!
