Threshold of development’

Press, 24 July 1986, Page 32

Threshold of development’

(By JAMES MAXWELL) Twenty-four years as a county councillor in the Mackenzie County is a long time for any one man, and the chairman of the county council, Cr B. J. O’Neill, has seen many changes from the early 60s to the present day. “One of the things we, the council, are trying to do is to make the county more attractive — we need people,” said Cr O’Neill. "Frustration in Tekapo was the reason to buy land from the Government to make land available for building.” “The vast Mackenzie is on the threshold of its greatest development, especially in tourism. The younger generations are versatile. This new building is an asset and will attract and retain quality persohel, at the same time sharing a quality of life sought in the city,” Cr O’Neill said. There is nothing of the suave country tailored gentleman about Councillor O’Neill and one would be very prone to misjudge

him until you watched him conduct county council meetings. They are long eighthour meetings these days with a lot of work in between, yet this county chairman has run a tight ship and got through all the work without causing any rancour or ill feeling among his councillors. “This new adminstration office is developed to adequately serve the county for the next century of progress. I do anticipate the region to expand and grow. This building is a postitive statement that this region will expand,” said Cr O’Neill. “I always like to impress on the people that if they want services, they must come right in behind the area and give support, even if they pay a little more. “The strength of local government is the community of interests. The administration . of the Mackenzie is quite renowed for its responsiveness to any problems, in

spite of the widely flung county. “The very big potential of the vast Mackenzie is obvious because we have some of the world’s best scenery only a few hours from the great metropolitian cities,” Cr O’Neill said.