By PAULA OLIVER
Nobody wants to represent the tiny town of Eketahuna.
Just two months after a devastating fire ripped through the heart of the Wairarapa township, Eketahuna - population 630 - is struggling to come up with any nominations for October's local body elections.
Six seats are available on the town's
community board, but nobody has come forward to fill them.
The much joked-about town also holds one seat on the Tararua District Council. One nomination has been received for that, just in time for the nationwide Friday deadline.
Eketahuna's problems reflect a nationwide indifference to local body elections. Councils throughout the country are reporting a lack of interest in standing for seats.
Retiring Eketahuna councillor Di Anderson told the Herald yesterday that she had tried to twist a few locals' arms and get them to stand, but hadn't had much success.
"There's a perception that Eketahuna is down and out - but that's not the case at all," she said. "It's a case of watch this space for Eketahuna. We are a surviving town. It mightn't look like much when you drive through but there is an awful lot going on."
Eketahuna was beginning to recover from the well-publicised June fire that destroyed a petrol station, the local Lotto shop, an auto repair shop and La Cafe Eketahuna, she said.
Ms Anderson said she was retiring as a councillor because she wanted to pursue a District Health Board seat. She had always assumed others would come forward to fill the gap, but suspected some were sceptical about the work of the council.
Several locals were already involved in important roles such as sports coaches, she said.
The Tararua District Council electoral officer Mike Brown said he expected last-minute nominations.
"I wouldn't be surprised if many more came in over the next couple of days. Traditionally they are last-minute things, but this year is an awful lot slower than previous years."
