Waihemo ward candidates address voters during a meet the candidates meeting last Wednesday. PHOTOS: KAYLA HODGEThree candidates for the vacant Waihemo ward seat say the Waitaki District Council’s support of the geopark scheme is a waste of time and money. Four candidates are vying for the seat, but Arlene Goss was unavailable for the candidates’ meeting, which was chaired by former Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton. Since early 2018, the council, and subsequently the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark Trust, has made a bid to establish New Zealand’s first Unesco Global Geopark. Other hot topics at the candidates meeting included reinstating monthly Waihemo Community Board meetings, and improvements to the district’s roads.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 23, 2021 15:33 UTC