Strath Taieri Community Board members — returning and new — are disappointed there was no need for an election race.
Board chairman Barry Williams said it was ‘‘sad’’ voters did not get a chance to elect a board.
‘‘You should be able to vote for who you want, rather than having to take us old pricks who just stay on,’’ he laughed.
A reason for a lack of candidates this election could be because people considered the existing board was doing a good job, but he expected the more likely reason was people could not be bothered standing.
He had expected more people to stand this election following an overseas company’s plans to buy farmland to mine a diatomite reserve near Middlemarch.
‘‘Everyone likes to give you their opinion in the pubs but they won’t put their money where their mouth is.’’
The company went into receivership and liquidation in July and withdrew its application to the Overseas Investment Office.
A ‘‘positive’’ outcome of having six candidates stand for election was having enough people to make a board and avoid a by-election to fill any vacancies.
The board’s deputy chairwoman Joan Wilson and members Norma Emerson and Jacinta Stevenson would be replaced by board members Leann McLew, Robin Thomas and Blair Dale.
Mr Dale, of Middlemarch, said he had never stood for the board before and was ‘‘disappointed’’ there was no election race.
He decided to stand because he had lived in the area for nearly 30 years and was never short of an opinion. He was the co-owner of beekeeping business Strathdale Honey.
His son had entered the business — the third consecutive generation of Dale to do so — leaving him more time to pursue activities such as becoming a community board member.
A big issue for the district was its infrastructure and its failure in the village in November last year, shedding sewage and stormwater in properties.
When asked if he would support the continuation of the Middlemarch Ball he replied: ‘‘There’s a lot more single women around Middlemarch than single fullas, so it’s a good opportunity to mix and mingle.’’
The community in the district was ‘‘tight’’ and it was nice to live in ‘‘Dunedin’s jewel’’.
‘‘I like the community feel of the Strath and it’s nice to be involved.’’
