Pick the ball up running: Tony Kuklinsky, candidate for CHB District Council's Ruataniwha Ward

Tony Kiklinsky, candidate for CHB District Council's Ruataniwha Ward

I am proud to be a candidate for the upcoming Central Hawke's Bay District Council by-election. I am a ratepayer within the Ruataniwha Ward.

We have a thriving district. We are growing by approximately 270 people per year. We have many passionate, hardworking and talented individuals and families in Waipawa and Waipukurau which I would like to represent at council.

I am a hardworking, creative and experienced horticulturalist. I stood for the regional council at the last election. I have been following the work of both the regional and district councils.

I am particularly keen to see the entrance ways to both Waipawa and Waipukurau become more attractive to visitors and domestic tourists. I have already begun work in pushing for this to happen. I would like to see the creation of a dog park.

This should be accessible from the stop banks and be a safe, fenced off area where people can run their dogs off the lead.

We need to provide waste services for mobile homes and camper vans.

For the next couple of years, the people using these facilities will be mostly New Zealanders and their families. We need to encourage these visitors to not only discover our gorgeous beaches, but to stay a while and spend in our towns.

For the past 18 months or so, our council has been working with central government on finding a solution to meeting the increasing costs of providing sustainable drinking water and wastewater services.

As part of this, our district council has received $11.04 million to be spent on these services. This is the first of a three-part funding package. There is huge change coming in this vital service if we want to have any hope in keeping our rates down to a sensible level.

Our council is already up and running and needs someone to join the team who can pick the ball up running. I feel I am the right person to join the team, representing you.