The meeting venue was set down in February, when the council decided it should have meetings in Otematata and Palmerston before this year's local body elections. Such meetings could also be held in the future.
The council will meet in Palmerston on July 2, which will not be the first council meeting there because it was the seat of the former Waihemo County Council before 1989 reforms. However, it is believed to be the first one there by the district council.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton, opening the meeting in Otematata, described it as a ''historic occasion''.
He believed it was the first council meeting in Otematata, which he said was always ''a vibrant, active and focused'' community.
Six people at the meeting, including two from the Ahuriri Community Board, outlined projects which had been completed or were being worked on in Otematata.
These included the Lakes Centre community complex, in which the council was meeting, further development of a children's playground and skateboard park and a scenic walkway around wetlands next to Lake Aviemore.
