'I hope I've made a difference' - councillor standing down

Carole in the council chamber - she felt it was time for her to step down as councillor when her term comes to an end. Photo / Leanne Warr

A_dAN91572 The 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment charter parade in Woodville in 2018. Photo / NZME

Carole Isaacson will miss being a councillor for the Tararua District but if she has one regret about leaving, it's that she didn't step up sooner.

After three terms, she was ready to close the book on this chapter of her life, although what the next chapter was, she wasn't quite sure.

Isaacson, through her ancestors, has a deep connection with the Dannevirke area.

"My dad's ancestors settled out here. That gave me a push. They went to a lot of trouble to start doing things here, why shouldn't I put my bit in."

She originally started her political career as a member of the Dannevirke Community Board.

It was July 2006 and one of the members had left, so there was a byelection.

"My friend had been on community board and she'd left Dannevirke. I rang her up and said what do you think? She said go for it and so I did."

Isaacson said she was never really into politics, but she enjoyed those years on the board.

"Because we were out there pulling up our sleeves and doing it really."

She found her time with the board "really rewarding", as they did a lot of fundraising for the town.

She also helped in the upgrade of Dannevirke's main street, coordinating the street furniture that would be up for sponsorship.

Swearing in the councillors in 2013. From left, Bill Keltie, Tracey Collis, David Roberts, Jim Crispin, mayor Roly Ellis, Carole Isaacson, Keith Fenemore, Shirley Hull, Warren Davidson. Photo / NZME

In 2013 she ran for both the community board and the council, and was elected to both - she chose the council.

Isaacson said she had seen a lot of change in her time on the council.

"There weren't a lot of women on council then."

Now it was a sort of reversal with more women than men occupying the positions.

In the last election, she won her seat by a very close margin.

"Which I was really happy about because I wanted to do three terms."

The last term had been "different", especially with Covid.

Carole when she campaigned for her second term. Photo / NZME

She said her first terms had been easier, but the last one had been hard.

"Thank goodness for Zoom because we could carry on."

Some of those difficulties had been around Covid, but compliance costs from central government had also been a big part of that.

Isaacson has had some magical moments in her time as councillor.

She was once asked by then mayor Roly Ellis to open a Kapa Haka.

"I'd never been to one. It was the most fantastic morning.

"It was just amazing. It was a really heartwarming event."

The 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment charter parade in Woodville. Photo / NZME

Another highlight was the charter parade, which was a march by the New Zealand Army's 1st Battalion, which has something of a connection to the Tararua district.

As a councillor, she was given the Northern ward to look after, which allowed her to spend a lot of time in Norsewood.

"I love that area and I really love Norsewood."

While Isaacson wished she had done it sooner, she had no regrets about stepping down.

"I think it is time for me to leave. I hope I've made a difference.

"I will definitely miss my council family."

As she wrote in a column earlier this year: "Being a leader, or team member, is not only being able to realistically assess your own contribution, but also to realise others may be able to contribute more in the same role and I have the greatest confidence we have many who can step up into the role."

People interested in throwing their hat in the ring for Tararua District Council still have until midday August 12.

For more information, visit: https://www.tararuadc.govt.nz/your-council/local-elections/for-candidates.