Sharing memories 20 years on

MEMORIES were relived and shared when members of the Manawatu District Council’s 1989 Transitional Committee met for a reunion in the council offices in Feilding last week.

The committee - charged with establishing the structure of the newly established district council at a time of major local body reorganisation - comprised two representatives from each of the merging authorities (Feilding Borough and Kiwitea, Pohangina, Manawatu and Oroua County Councils), town and county clerks and an administrative secretary.

Among those who attended were the transitional committee’s chairman, Brian Meads (Kiwitea); the district’s inaugural Mayor, Caryll Clausen (Feilding), and the first Chief Executive, Rod Titcombe. Only two members of the committee were missing – the late Ron Gibson (chair, Kiwitea) and Robert Campbell (Oroua), who was away.

The reunion also acknowledged the work carried out by Mr Titcombe, who is to retire at the end of June.

Mr Titcombe said the occasion had been a good chance to reminisce and to catch up with the committee members, all of whom were still active in the district.

“It also gave us the opportunity, 20 years on, to see how everything had panned out and everyone seemed comfortable with the result and the council’s standing in the community,” he said.

The photo shows members of the 1989 Transitional Committee at the reunion with their positions and representations at the time in brackets. From left, back row: Elizabeth Signal (Secretary), Bruce Burne (Feilding), Dick McAllister (Manager, Manawatu), Mervyn Craw (Manawatu), Rod Titcombe (Town Clerk, Feilding), George Eames (Pohangina), Martin Sargent (Manager, Kiwitea and Pohangina) and Graham Teahan (Manager, Oroua). Front row: Bill Abbiss (Chair, Oroua), Brian Meads (Kiwitea), Ian McKelvie (current Manawatu District Council Mayor), Caryll Clausen (Mayor, Feilding), John Culling (Chair, Pohangina) and Colin Osten (Manawatu).