Tina Nixon said her role with Masterton District Council has been challenging. Photo / File
Tina Nixon said her role with Masterton District Council has been challenging. Photo / File
Masterton is losing its economic development manager, Tina Nixon, a little over a year after her appointment.
Ms Nixon has resigned from the staff of Masterton District Council and will leave tomorrow, as she has some annual leave to use up, and will take up a new job with Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre early next year.
Her expertise will not be totally lost to Masterton, as she will do some work for the council on contract.
Ms Nixon said she had been looking for "wider opportunities and more freedom" and her new role coupled with council contract work would allow that.
She was hired in September last year as a full-time economics development manager, a newly created job, having an impressive curriculum vitae which included working with the Seafood Industries Council, forestry and primary industries work, public relations, Ministry of Health positions and setting up a communications unit to aid the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.
I intend to stand for election to council next year. I am not sure yet whether that will be in the rural ward, urban or at large.
Ms Nixon said the task she had been handed with the council had been challenging.
"But I think we have had some success and a lot of effort has gone into it, and not just by me," she said.
During her council tenure, Ms Nixon lead the My Masterton campaign in partnership with Wairarapa Times-Age aimed at increasing jobs, attracting investment and building the population of Masterton district.
Ms Nixon said she had enjoyed working with many of the council staff who she firmly believes "come to work each day with the intention of doing the very best they can for the ratepayers, and many of them are not on big wages".
She said she had especially liked working with Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson.
"I am very supportive of Lyn, she has the ear of the community and understands how it works."
While stepping away from working for the council, Ms Nixon has her sights on joining it in another way.
"I intend to stand for election to council next year. I am not sure yet whether that will be in the rural ward, urban or at large," she said.
An advocate of local body amalgamation - but not with Wellington - Ms Nixon said she wants to see the best possible deal for Wairarapa.
The coming together of the councils, whether it be in a way already discussed or "some sort of hybrid of that" would drive efficiencies and give ratepayers the best possible deal. "I have been surprised during my time with the council to discover the degree of shared services already in existence.
"The thing we must guard against is losing any services to the community.
"Older people especially must have the chance to come to the counter and talk face-to-face with staff about their issues," Ms Nixon said.
Ms Nixon said it was no longer feasible to have three district councils all working in an area with a combined population "about the same as an Auckland suburb".
Regarding bringing in new people to Wairarapa, Ms Nixon has put her money where her mouth is.
Her mother and father have shifted to Wairarapa from Southland, where they had lived for years, and now a sister has also decided to move here permanently.
