Tongariro junior rugby team at Tūrangitukua Park, Tūrangi. Photo / File
They have done themselves out of a job, but say it's for the greater good.
The October local body elections mark the end of the Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board.
It is being replaced with ward representation from one councillor, and a district-wide Māori ward, Te Papamārearea, with two councillors. Locals say the net result is three councillors for Tūrangi, currently there are two.
The first Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board was sworn in in 1989 with John Thorby as chairman.
Maggie Stewart was first elected onto the community board in 2001 and served four terms, she also served two terms as a councillor. She says a big step for Tūrangi was joining the Taupō District as one rating area, between 2016 and 2019.
"We would pay for the infrastructure, then what was left we could spend on Tūrangi but there wasn't much change left over."
Between 2001 and 2019 the community board set up a youth council, supported the Safer Community Council, supported the building of the medical centre building, and fostered a relationship with sister city Kitashiobara, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Maggie says a lot of their workshops were about rejuvenating the township.
Maggie says perhaps the most important step the community board took was recognising the importance of Ngāti Tūrangitukua Charitable Trust, the post-settlement hāpu entity, and the beginnings of what has eventuated as co-governance agreement Mana Whakahono ā Rohe.
"Tūrangi is not going to grow without partnership with Tūrangitukua."
Outgoing Taupō District councillor and community board member Tangonui Kingi has served three terms - nine years - on the community board. Early in his first term the community board won an award at the Community Board Best Practice Awards for its plan.
"We were seen as a model for others, all around New Zealand, to look at.
"I was the chair at the time and I was very, very proud.
"It gave us validation that what we were doing was right," says Tangonui.
By the end of his second term, the end of 2020, there was a groundswell of feeling that Tūrangi wasn't getting enough spent on it and that it was continually playing poor cousin to Taupō town.
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, Tūrangi Action Group (TAG) formed, and a series of engagements with Taupō District Council. A meeting in February 2019 attracted 300 people, and mayor David Trewavas and councillors acknowledged that some of the town's infrastructure urgently needed addressing and agreed to some of a list of demands by TAG.
In October 2020, Tangonui, Clint Green and John Mack were among the newly sworn-in Tūrangi-Tongariro community board members. Along with Tangonui, John was elected as Tūrangi-Tongariro Ward councillor.
John Mack says he is not a politician, and is not standing for re-election in October as he has had the enormous satisfaction of completing the three-step manifesto he campaigned on in 2019.
Board chairman Clint Green says from day one, the board agreed about the action it wanted.
"In a way they were John's babies and the reason he put himself up for re-election."
The board began the task of getting approval and funding for projects that are now in the final stages of planning.
1) The new playground at Te Kapua Park.
2) Building a new sports hub at Tūrangitukua Park
3) A new council building/recreation centre with indoor sports courts.
John says the current community board can take credit for the street revitalisation project which has seen the installation of new curb and channelling and tree replanting.
Other projects include upgrading of the water main and transfer station.
"Over the past three years the Taupō District Council has agreed to spend $24 million in Tūrangi. Costs have gone up for the three projects, and every time we have gone back to say "these three projects are getting more expensive" they have always said yes. And these are tough times," John says.
John says the February 2019 "protests" proved to be a turning point and gave the present community board a clear steer for the past three years.
Clint says a big part of the community board's success is due to Tangonui and John also being councillors.
"Their role was crucial, they are great at pushing for Tūrangi."
John says that critical to the board's success was third-term board member and second-term councillor Tangonui's institutional knowledge of how the council works, combined with Ngāti Tūwharetoa connections.
"Along the way we never lost sight of our purpose, to represent the people of Tūrangi. The community board is the grassroots of communicating up to the council," Tangonui says.
They also say achieving the three projects would not have been possible without the support of the current councillors.
"It should be acknowledged that this council has been the most significant in recognising Tūrangi in a long time," Tangonui says.
The past three years has not been without controversy. People were upset when mature trees were cut down in Tūrangi to make way for new kerb and channelling, and when the Volcanic Activity Centre closed.
John says thanks need to be given to Tūrangitukua for supporting the community board in this three-year journey,
Tangonui says the demise of the Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board is an acknowledgement that a new vehicle is required to take the community forward.
Clint says the two new Māori seats and the co-governance entity, Mana Whakahono ā Rohe, is a great thing for the town.
"We need the partnership of Tūrangitukua and Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Now they will be round the table and part of things."
Tangonui is Tūrangi Fire Brigade chief officer and is looking forward to taking up a full-time role with Fire and Emergency NZ at Taupō station as leader of the community readiness and recovery team for Bay of Plenty.
"Nine years is a good amount of service and I feel the foundations have been laid for the new Māori ward councillors. Now is the time to step aside from local government
and allow others to contribute," Tangonui says.
Tangonui says his Fenz job takes him all over the Bay of Plenty and so he intends to stay in Tūrangi.
"I'm still a small town boy at heart."
John says the Tūrangi ANZ bank closure in 2018 "was a push in the right direction" for him towards standing for council and the community board, but now he's done with politics.
The Glaswegian says Britain looks greener every time he visits.
"Life's a funny thing. Covid makes us rethink and reassess life."
He says he has no plans for his future career,
"Watch this space Tūrangi."
Local Democracy Reporting obtained the decision through the court.