Council hosts its most isolated LTP meeting
Not many council meetings end with elected members having a beer at the pub, but not many council meetings are held in New Zealand’s only (self-proclaimed) republic.
Every year, Stratford district councillors board a bus, driven by deputy mayor Alan Jamieson, and travel the windy saddles along the Forgotten World Highway to host a meeting in isolated Whangamo¯mona – which has a population of about 10.
And while this year’s meetings brought in four locals in total, they used the opportunity to discuss some of the town’s issues with the council.
Whangamo¯mona, which is 61 kilometres from Stratford and
88km from Taumarunui, declared itself a republic in 1989 when the government changed the regional boundaries and the town was told it would be part of the Manuwatu¯ Whanganui region instead of Taranaki.
The novelty of a ‘republic’ stuck and the town became an attraction that draws more than
25,000 people through a year.
The town does not sit within the Taranaki regional boundary but is in the Stratford district – hence the annual trip.
On Tuesday, Stratford district councillors hosted a long-term plan (LTP) public meeting and an ordinary council meeting in the Whangamo¯mona town hall.
Although there were more locals in the nearby pub than at the meeting discussing the council’s plan for the next 10 years, those assembled pushed on.
Mayor Neil Volzke started the discussion by looking around the room and asking ‘‘who are we presenting to?’’ as most of the seats merely had the long-term plan consultation document sitting on them.
It wasn’t long before an important member of the community walked in – John Herlihy, the republic’s longstanding leader.
Then another member of the public joined.
‘‘Welcome, you’ve doubled our crowd,’’ Volzke said.
He went on to outline the main projects highlighted in the LTP: water conservation, waste minimisation, an economic development targeted rate, and a proposed new residential subdivision.
However, he said the proposals for water meters and food and green waste bins did not ‘‘affect people in this part of the woods’’.
At the moment, Whangamo¯mona residents must fend for themselves when it comes to water and refuse due to their isolation.
The council is also suggesting introducing an economic development rate, which would be used to invest in improvements such as the overall look and feel of the Stratford town centre.
It is proposed to be targeted at local businesses, cutting costs for all rate payers – ‘‘including people out here in the republic’’, Volzke said.
Richard Pratt, who owns the Whangamo¯mona Hotel, also turned up to ask about the progress of a cycleway planned near the town.
Volzke said it was being held up by other parties, and although council already had signs for it, they had been sitting around for a year.
‘‘It is frustrating,’’ Volzke said. ‘‘We would like to have it up and running as much as you.’’
Pratt also asked when work to improve the Forgotten World Highway would begin. ‘‘This year? This decade?’’
Volzke came prepared with an email he’d received from Waka Kotahi, the NZ Transport Agency.
He said physical work was expected to start at the end of the year, in summer.
After the formalities were finished, most councillors and staff walked over to the Whangamo¯mona Pub and joined locals for a drink.
But not the deputy mayor – he still had to get them all home.