Deciding mayoral replacement . . .

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Contrary to the final sentence of Saturday’s editorial, newly-appointed Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon remains our Mayor for now.

In fact, as residents prepare to vote on who our new Mayor will be at the local body election on and leading up to October 12 — with three candidates in the mix so far, sitting councillors Rehette Stoltz and Meredith Akuhata-Brown, and Jonathan Pere — councillors will beat us to it early next month when they decide who should be Acting Mayor for the final two months of this term. Chances are they will place deputy mayor Stoltz in the role . . . or might they opt for a compromise candidate — maybe retiring councillor Brian Wilson?

Mr Foon told councillors and residents in March that he would be retiring at the end of this his sixth term as Mayor, and on Thursday last week Justice Minister Andrew Little announced that Mr Foon would be the country’s next Race Relations Commissioner, taking up the role — which has been vacant since Dame Susan Devoy stood down more than nine months ago, due to a legal challenge by an unsuccessful candidate — on August 26.

The council said on Thursday it was making preparations “to ensure continuity until the local body election in October”, and it now has an extraordinary full council meeting scheduled for August 8 —which a spokeswoman advises is “to make a decision regarding the vacancy for the office of Mayor”.

Full council meetings will follow on August 22 and September 26.

Proximity to the local body election saves us the hassle and expense of holding a by-election to fill the councillor position left vacant by the member who will step into the role of Acting Mayor.

It also diminishes the responsibilities being transferred to the Acting Mayor, as their elevation coincides with the electioneering period, where no major decisions will be brought to council meetings.

Nominations for council/mayoral and health board candidates open this Friday and close on August 16. Wednesday, August 21 sees a public notice of the day of the election and candidate names. Election signs can go up from Saturday, August 31 — six weeks before the October 12 election day.