Tēnā koutou katoa

Greetings to you all and happy New Year. I hope you had a relaxing Christmas catching up with friends and whanau.

2022 is going to be a big year for councillors with Government reform and the local body elections in October.

Our aroha goes out to friends and family who are affected by the recent volcanic eruption in Tonga. If you wish to donate the Red Cross has an appeal running to help the Tongan nation with food and drink supplies. This is also a good reminder to always be prepared for an emergency. Check your emergency survival kits are up-to-date because we never know what’s around the corner.

Thanks to everyone who is trying to conserve water throughout the district.

We need to keep this up, especially in Dannevirke, where the river levels are at an all-time low with little rain forecast. Many are concerned as to how to keep their gardens alive during this time. There have been some good suggestions from the public, such as doing your dishes in a basin in the sink or putting a big tub in the shower so you can capture this water for the garden. In our house we are doing this and have more than enough to keep our vegetables alive.

An update on the Dannevirke skate park. The Dannevirke Recreation Group are working at securing all the funding at the moment. Then we can come back to you with a concept plan for the project.

He tina ki runga, he tāmore ki raro

In order to flourish above, one must have strong roots below.

Ka kite mā te wā See you again, until next time

Deputy Mayor for Tararua