Mayor ready for new term

The people of Matamata-Piako love their mayor, Jan Barnes and it’s easy to see why.

Barnes loves them, and all she wants to do is serve them.

On the day the local government candidate nominations closed, Barnes said she became ‘‘very emotional’’ when she found no one was standing against her.

‘‘I was wanting an election, I wanted to win it again,’’ she said.

But for the former school dental nurse being spared the necessity of going through the election process shows the confidence the community has placed in her.

About to start her fifth term on the Matamata-Piako District Council, second as the mayor, Barnes rose through the ranks as a community board member, councillor and deputy mayor to eventually winning the mayoralty after long-term mayor Hugh Vercoe vacated the position.

Barnes can expect to have at least five new councillors across the board and that has her mind buzzing.

It’s a team approach that sets the mayor apart, where her philosophy is to ensure ‘‘ratepayers get value for money from their elected councillors whereby all 12 elected members work for the community rather than just one’’.

‘‘I want councillors to experience different roles.’’

In her second term as mayor she is looking to retain public confidence along with her style of being accessible to everyone.

‘‘The big projects for the community will happen when the community wants them and is prepared to work for them as they have done in Te Aroha with the $4.5 million events centre.

‘‘I want our council to concentrate on its core business, roading, waste, storm and drinking water, and to maintain the growth currently being experienced in the district.’’

Barnes agrees all three communities Morrinsville, Matamata and Te Aroha have differing issues.

It’s obvious Barnes has a clear picture of how to move her new council forward but questions remain around the low number of candidates stepping forward to contest the elections.

It’s a common theme in many rural councils despite Local Government New Zealand’s campaign encouraging people to become involved.

The answer for the MatamataPiako district could be found in a street survey of Te Aroha which brought a nonchalant reaction to questions regarding issues and councils.

Some did not know there was an election or did not know about the candidates standing in their ward.

But the one comment from most was ‘‘Jan is doing a great job’’.

Page 4: Voter apathy study. Page 5: Returning councillors set their goals.