MERI Kirihimete, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone. I am honoured to have this opportunity to reflect on the year that has been. The overwhelming consensus is that 2022 has been a challenge. Everyone deserves an opportunity to recharge. At the end of most years, we can look back and identify one or two specific moments in time that had a significant influence on our mindset or determined an outcome for ourselves, our whanau, our business or our community. The year 2022 has thrown ever-changing and repeated challenges that have been overwhelming for many of us. The ongoing influence of the Covid-19 pandemic is like a bad dream. The impact on logistics, the supply chain, cost of living, labour shortages, health and education is something we have never experienced in my lifetime. These factors are exacerbated by the Ukrainian-Russian conflict. Additionally, thought-provoking central government decisions have had a major impact on local government as we prepare for the impact of the proposed reforms. For the Ōtorohanga District Council and our community, this year has also brought opportunity. Our communication and engagement with our communities has improved, we are implementing our ambitious capital works programme in Three Waters, and we are kicking off big projects such as the Ōtorohanga Town Concept Plan. We continue our journey of improvement by implementing the CouncilMARK Action Plan and continuing to improve relationships with our iwi and Māori communities. The Ōtorohanga District Council’s financial position remains strong. This strength has allowed us to support projects within our district that otherwise may have stalled. Examples are the kiwi house redevelopment and the Westridge subdivision extension. I am extremely impressed by the Ōtorohanga District Council staff who have performed to a very high standard despite continually facing new challenges. I am also very happy with the community board members and councillors who have put their hands up to represent our communities at a local government level, and I look forward to a very productive 2023 from our teams. A big thank you to everybody who has supported me and continues to support me as your mayor. It is a privilege and a responsibility that I do not take lightly, especially in the current political climate. It is important that we spend time this festive season talking to and supporting whānau and friends, sharing our stories from the past year and spreading positivity into 2023.
