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Te Puke’s last mayor Michael Pittar has been remembered as an innovator, a community-minded storyteller, and a man who could put his hand to almost anything. Te Puke News writer Stuart Whitaker looks back at the man who would dig in - literally - to get the job done.
Michael Pittar has left an indelible mark on Te Puke – and the wider Western Bay.
Pittar, who died on January 15, was the last Te Puke mayor and the first mayor of the Western Bay of Plenty district.
Born in Whakatāne in 1938, he was one of Jack and Cecilia Pittar’s nine children – five boys and four girls.
He went to Maketū and Paengaroa Primary Schools and Te Puke High School.
Michael Pittar with Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt.
He was brought up in Pikowai, Ōtamarākau and then on the family farm on Te Tumu Rd, not far from Kaituna Cut.
His brother Russell recalled that Pittar was a good sportsman who played for the high school first XV and went on to represent Te Puke at junior level.
He said the nine siblings grew up in hard times and worked on the farm with no pay.
While Pittar and his wife Deryn were sharemilkers in the 1960s, farming was not to be his destiny.
He bought an old digger and from there he never looked back. He imported what was thought to be the first fully hydraulic digger in New Zealand.
It was one of many firsts, that also included the idea of a cage for trimming shelter belts.
Pittar was the man behind the building of Te Puke Country Lodge as a tourist motel on the corner of No 1. Rd and what is now Te Puke Highway. He assembled a business consortium for the project, then set about the site works himself.
While mayor of Te Puke, Michael Pitter was 'kidnapped' by Te Puke High School students and suspended 20m above Jellicoe St as part of a fundraising telethon.
Family friend John Dohnt, who was encouraged by Pittar to stand for and was then elected to the Te Puke Borough Council, remembers preparing the ground, which involved lowering and levelling the land, was “a pretty big undertaking”.
“Michael did all that. He took off about 8m.”
He said the country lodge was ahead of its time and the vision Pittar displayed in getting it built was typical of the man. It was also far from being the only lasting impact Pittar had on the town.
Political career
It was in local government politics that Pittar’s name is best known.
He was elected as a councillor on the Te Puke Borough Council in 1977 and was mayor of Te Puke from 1983 until local government reorganisation in 1989.
He then became the first mayor of the newly created Western Bay of Plenty District Council, a position he held until 1992.
One of his major achievements during his time as Te Puke mayor was the construction of the $12 million sewerage scheme which was completed under budget.
Local government reorganisation in 1989 saw Tauranga County Council become Western Bay District Council which then included Te Puke, Ōmokoroa, Katikati and Waihi Beach.
As mayor of the new district, he guided the council and the district through many changes, including contracting out certain operations, encouraging more accountability, long-term planning and engineering strategies, and a reduction in staff numbers.
Michael Pittar.
Dohnt said when they arrived at the council “the place was broken”.
“The first three years was putting all those policies together and sorting out the finances. We went around the district taking the policies out there and trying to explain what was going on and we used to get some flack. There were some fiery ratepayers’ meetings.”
As mayor, Pittar opened the Waihi Beach RSA after helping secure the building’s resource consent.
“He did compulsory military training for the RSA was in his heart,” Russell Pittar said.
Different positions over the years
Pittar held many other positions, being a member of the Bay of Plenty Catchment Commission, the Bay of Plenty United Council and the Bay of Plenty Economic Development Council. While district mayor he was the head of civil defence for the Tauranga and Western Bay Districts.
In the late 1990s, he became an elected member of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
His last local government role saw him serve on the Te Puke Community Board from 2010 to 2013.
Te Puke Economic Development Group managing director Mark Boyle had a close relationship with Pittar.
“Michael facilitated a number of deals in recent years that have resulted in new houses in Te Puke and good community building.
“Michael was always very supportive of Te Puke EDG and did much to bring people along in support of the ideas and initiatives we have had.
“He was always trying to help people. His networks and connections were often key to solutions and good outcomes.
“He was passionate about the need for and importance of communities and economic sectors to be heard at local government “
Boyle said Pittar was also a raconteur.
“He would often hold court, whether it be on the street, in a cafe or bar or after a meeting. It would be fair to say that for the last 45-plus years Michael maintained a passion for the success of local government.”
Pittar was also a celebrant, a qualified realtor and a commissioner.
Russell Pittar said one incident when they were much younger summed up his brother’s character.
While working on a bulldozer for Pittar near the Kaituna Cut, Russell Pittar had to break off to drive into Te Puke for a doctor’s appointment. Pittar took over and told his brother to take his brand new Ford Falcon ute.
A crash on the way home led to the ute having to be towed. Before it was, Russell Pittar picked up the grille and, when he arrived back clutching it, Pittar asked him: “What the hell have you done?”.
“I said, ‘this is what’s left of your wagon’ and he just said, ‘oh well, you’re all right’.
“Nothing fazed him, he could handle most situations.”
Pittar is survived by his wife Deryn, their four sons, Parke, Craig, Peter and Luke, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
