Waipā’s first female mayor Susan O’Regan was sworn in at an emotional ceremony at the Mighty River Domain, Lake Karāpiro today.
The event opened with a powerful and moving whakatau (welcome) from hosts Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā before O’Regan and nine councillors took their oaths of office supported by a large group of whanau, friends and supporters.
Those taking their declarations included Waipā’s first ever Māori ward councillor, Takena Stirling as well as first-term Maungatautari ward councillor, Mike Montgomerie. Stirling and Montgomerie are the only new faces around the Council table; all other Waipā district councillors were re-elected.
The official ceremony was held for the first time ever in the Te Manawa o Matariki room, adjacent to the Sir Don Rowlands event centre. The unique location honoured Cr Stirling’s election as Māori ward councillor and was big enough to accommodate the 70-plus guests who attended.
Mayor O’Regan acknowledged mana whenua as well as past leaders of the district. Their joint commitment and vision meant everyone in Waipā could enjoy a rich district with potential and opportunity, she said.
She was “humbled and honoured” to the first woman sworn into the mayoral office, but only wished her parents were there to see it.
“We are today embarking on a triennium which will likely be characterised by economic challenges and once-in-a-lifetime legislative reform. Our ability to navigate through these years with integrity, wisdom and unity will be underpinned by our strength of common purpose.”
The whakatau was followed by an opening karakia (prayer) before chief executive Garry Dyet opened the meeting, welcoming Council to the beginning of a new three-year term he said would be challenging, “given the rapid pace of fundamental change”.
Dyet also welcomed Community Board members, noting Council was committed to working more closely with Community Boards this triennium.
Formalities ended with confirmation of the first ordinary Council meeting, to be held on November 15 in the Council chamber at Te Awamutu.
Today’s meeting also formalised the appointment of four-term councillor Liz Stolwyk as deputy mayor, following an announcement from O’Regan last week. Today Council also appointed Philip Coles and Mike Montgomerie as Council representatives on the Cambridge Community Board. Lou Brown and Bruce Thomas were appointed to the Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board.
Community Board members were also sworn in this afternoon. Ange Holt was elected Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board Chair with Jo Davies-Colley elected Chair in Cambridge. The first formal Community Board meetings will be held in December.
Two Cambridge ward councillors-elect, Mike Pettit and Philip Coles were absent from today’s ceremony and will be sworn in in December.
