Vision Motueka readies for long-term development tasks

November 11th, 2014

Vision Motueka has re-jigged and enlarged its Board of Trustees in preparation for a multi-year project to help with future developments of the town.

It has also modified its constitution and trust deed to reflect a more collaborative, partnering approach to hearing and taking on larger projects that the community wants.

The Board now comprises seven elected trustees plus five Board members representing the five largest community development groups - Tasman District Council, Motueka Community Board, Our Town Motueka, Keep Motueka Beautiful and iwi.

The changes to the Board constitution and the Trust Deed were approved by the existing board late in October and have now been accepted by the Companies Office, along with the modified name 'Vision Motueka Development Trust'. Vision Motueka is already a registered charity.

Vision's chairman David Armstrong explains that the changes arose from an agreement made in May with the Motueka Community Board that the group would investigate ways in which large projects could be tackled which TDC was unwilling or financially unable to do.

"It is now widely recognised that if Motueka people want to make the town's economy and environment stronger into the future, then we have to take more responsibility to actually make the changes," David says.

"Times have changed. It's no longer a matter of expecting Council to do it all for us, especially when we keep complaining about rates increases.

"With the Community Board's approval and encouragement, Vision is stepping up to tackle the task as best we can, and the first step is having a stronger and more representative Board, and a trust deed that's more orientated toward partnerships and collaboration."

While keeping its existing projects going, such as the series of Motueka murals, the next big job is to carry out wide community consultation on what ordinary folk think would make Motueka a better place for us all by 2030.

David says the Board is planning several months of community meetings, one-on-ones, surveys and all other useful means to get input from as many people as possible.

"Hopefully by next autumn we should have a good idea of what matters most to people, and then begin working with whichever groups and people who put themselves forward to develop or support project ideas that will best achieve those goals.

"We hope that people will be keen to engage in our consultation processes and take the opportunity to make their voice heard. We also hope that some people will be energised enough to put themselves forward to help lead projects that they think should happen."

He adds that none of this will stop any other groups from doing their own projects. "We just want to help build those projects which no other groups feel capable of doing alone, or which need extra expertise and resources."

In July Vision Motueka was a winner at the regional Trustpower Community Awards. In August it also held the highly successful Motueka Economic Summit, which David says was one early step in the consultation process.

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