Gore councillor: Might be time to call it quits

There will be some changes around the table in the Gore District Council chamber this year.

Tracy Hicks has made no secret of his desire to seek another term as mayor, but at this stage, no-one has declared they would stand against him.

However, there will be at least one and possibly up to three vacancies, as one councillor has confirmed he won’t be standing in the October local body elections, and two are undecided.

Ralph Beale said he decided last year not to seek re-election. ‘‘I would like us to stop spending money, it’s that simple,’’ he said.

Peter Grant was undecided, but was considering not standing.

‘‘I think the people of Gore have probably had enough of me. I’ve been there for 12 years, and there’s my age, I’m not getting any younger.’’

In Waimumu-Kaiwera ward, Graham Sharp is also undecided.

But some familiar faces are looking for another three years.

Deputy mayor Cliff Bolger will seek a council seat again, but there’s ‘‘absolutely no way’’ he’d run for mayor.

‘‘That’s the stuff of nightmares. Tracy is just run off his feet and there is no way I’d take that on.’’

In the Gore ward, councillor Bret Highsted said at this stage he would be standing for re-election, but his full-time job meant he had not considered the mayoralty.

Doug Grant said he would ‘‘probably’’ run for council again but had not given any thought to running for mayor. ‘‘I’m enjoying it. We’ve got not a bad bunch of councillors there now.’’

Mataura ward councillor Neville Phillips said he was ‘‘going to give it another crack’’. ‘‘I think I’ve done enough to warrant having another go.’’

John Gardyne said he would seek re-election in the Waikaka ward, and Bronwyn Reid would stand again in the Gore ward.

District-wide ward councillor Nicky Davis and Gore ward councillor Glenys Dickson could not be contacted.