Tony O'Regan
07 April 2022, 6:06 PM
The first of two new roles created by the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to support local community associations and the Wānaka Community Board (WCB) will start work in their new position next week.
The roles were created after the Upper Clutha liaison manager position (which supported the WCB) was disestablished late last year, with the council choosing to instead create two new full-time roles, one with a focus on governance and another on community liaison.
Starting next Monday (April 11) is Susan Jacobs, who is coming on board as council’s governance team leader.
In her position, Susan will act as a key point of contact within QLDC for the Wānaka Community Board, “helping empower members on actions such as making submissions on key plans and strategies – both from council and other organisations – to reflect the views of the Upper Clutha community,” a QLDC representative said.
A month later Amy Wilson-White will begin in the new role of community associations relationship manager.
According to the job listing, the community associations relationship manager will be responsible for building and enhancing QLDC’s relationship with the district’s community associations and will identify, test and implement a programme of continuous improvement to support them.
Amy, a long-time Queenstown lakes local, is familiar with the workings of the QLDC having spent the past five years in support of the office of the mayor.
Amy will start the new role on May 2, 2022.
A council spokesperson reiterated that the new positions each include aspects of the previous Upper Clutha liaison manager role “rather than replicate it entirely”.
The original role was established after mayor Jim Boult’s campaign, and with one of its key priorities to ensure the WCB was making the most of its opportunities.
The WCB has been criticised for inactivity and narrowly avoided being disestablished last year.
Both roles will have a close relationship with the WCB, QLDC said.
PHOTO: Supplied