Only one GB candidate confirmed for elections
Nominations for council and community board positions close on 20 August. So far, very few locals have committed to the process, though a few are indicating that they intend to stand.
As The GB Weekly went to press there were no nominations on the council’s website for the community board and only one, Martine Bouillir, for ward councillor.
The GB Weekly approached some likely people to see what they were intending to do. The people who responded are quoted below.
Community board candidates
Joe Bell: “I have been nominated but I’m still thinking about whether to allow the nomination to go forward.”
Karen Brookes: I will stand again because I don’t think it’s fair to have a position once and not put the experience you’ve gained to use for the community if they want you to do it again. It has been a privilege working so closely with the community and I’ve enjoyed learning all the interesting information that being on the board has provided.”
Leigh Gamby: I’ll stand again because we haven’t achieved the meaningful delegation to the community through the boards. I’ll be happy to keep presenting the community’s cares and woes to the council.”
Carolyn McLellan: “I’m going to have another crack at it. There’s unfinished business.”
Council candidates
Alan Blackie: “I’m standing for council because TDC has a flawed decision-making process and it’s impossible to change it from the outside. The ratepayers of Golden Bay are getting a raw deal because of management interference with the democratic process.”
Stuart Borlase: “I’ve enjoyed most of my work at the council and I’ll be standing again. I feel that we’ve made quite a bit of progress on a number of projects and I’d like to see them advanced a bit more.”
Martine Bouillir: “I’m standing for council and I’m excited about it. I’m not going in to get involved in battles or to kowtow to anyone.
“I’m interested in building good relationships between council and the community board. I’m also interested in seeing balance around the council table.”
Noel Riley: “People have asked if I will stand again and I said that if there were people who wanted to nominate me, then I would stand. I feel that progress is being made on Port Tarakohe. It was one of my main objectives for standing in the first place and I’d like to see it through.”
Paul Sangster: “I’m standing for council again because I’d like to see the council back working for the Bay again instead of fighting with us. I’d be looking to mend some bridges and make it possible for them to come back over here so that we get our fair share of the projects.”
Mayoralty candidates
Victoria Davis: “Once I got free from my radiography work I wanted to do something more meaningful in a political sense. I didn’t want to run against my friends who are standing for council and I didn’t want to be on the community board because of its limited advisory role.
“Over the years I’ve been advised to run by a surprising range of people. The mayoralty makes use of my skills which are vision and leadership. I think this is a brilliant opportunity to put some ideas on the table for voters to consider.”
Neil Wilson
