Outgoing mayor Jim Boult tells Mountain Scene one such issue will likely see pressure on the Queenstown Lakes District Council to ‘‘form a marriage of some sort’’ with the Central Otago District Council.
‘‘I think it’ll be a while out, but I just see pressure coming on us to do that.’’
Regarding the Three Waters reform, which Boult says will come in, ‘‘like it or not’’, all the council’s present oversight of water will be removed, with responsibility going to a new South Island entity.
Queenstown’s council’s position on Three Waters hasn’t changed — ‘‘we oppose it because we don’t like it’’ — but Boult says, given it’s inevitable, it needs to ‘‘get on the bus and get the best result’’.
‘‘I’ve got a whole bunch of people writing to me at the present time wanting a referendum.
‘‘What’s the point?
‘‘Government won’t take any notice of that and they’ve got time to push it through in their current term, and they’re going to do it.’’
The third major issue he sees is the Resource Management Act reform, which will, essentially, move to a one-size-fits-all model — potential problems arise for the Queenstown-Lakes given ‘‘97% of the land in our area is outstanding natural landscape’’.
‘‘My worry there is that we will trade a bad dream for a nightmare.’’
As he counts down to the day he hands back the mayoral chains, Boult is frank about the demands of the job for whoever holds the office next, and the personal toll it takes.
‘‘When you become the mayor, you effectively give your life to the community for the period you are elected.
‘‘It is 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
‘‘No matter where you’re at, whether it be at a private function, a public function, you are the mayor … this is not something that somebody should take on lightly.’’
Central to the role, he says, is putting aside personal feelings, and taking a district-first approach on issues relating to housing, infrastructure, population growth, the economy, planning and the environment, to name just a few.
Occasionally, it means making decisions which, personally, don’t sit well.
The best example, for him, was the controversial decision to work on a masterplan for the future development on the northern side of Ladies Mile.
‘‘For 40 years I’ve driven down that piece of road — I used to like it when it was farmland on both sides, then it was developed on one side, then there was further development on that side, and now it’s going to be developed on the other side.
‘‘It’s not about what you like or don’t like, it’s about what is best for the community.’’
Patience is also key, given how long it takes to get anything done in local government.
Boult uses the analogy of buying a crane.
In business, you decide to buy a crane, call a company supplying them, have a chat and place an order.
‘‘In council, if you want to buy a crane, we go out for public consultation as to whether we need a crane … we take it to council and decide whether we buy a crane, then we go out for expressions of interest in supplying a crane, then we have a process in deciding what crane we buy, then 12 months after we bought it we have a process to decide whether it’s the right crane or not.
‘‘It’s not a criticism, it’s just the reality.’’
Boult doesn’t believe it’s possible to be a part-time mayor and says ‘‘your family have to take second place — it’s just the way it is’’.
‘‘Your kids will end up getting scrutinised, your partner … if you haven’t got thick skin, don’t come anywhere near it.
‘‘Having said all that … shit, I’ve enjoyed it … because I think we’ve been able to make a difference in people’s lives in certain areas.’’
Boult also wants people to consider standing for council — to date, he says, ‘‘not one person’’ has signalled their intention to stand, despite at least two councillors, Val Miller and Penny Clark, announcing they won’t be seeking re-election.
‘‘You can make a difference, you can pursue a better outcome for the district and we need good, well-grounded community people to stand for council, more so now than ever because of the challenges we’ve got coming up.’’
Back in 2016, when Boult, now 70, decided to put his hand up to lead the district, it was a decision born from a desire to give back to a community which had given so much to him and his family, wife, Karen, son, James, and daughter, Victoria.
‘‘I would hope somebody who wants to do the same is the next mayor of the district.’’
