Lex Perkins, who died on Sunday, was a community man through and through. His time in Arrowtown was marked by long-standing service on the Arrowtown Village Association and Arrowtown Autumn Festival Committee and on Queenstown Lakes District Council as Arrowtown Ward Councillor from 2010 to 2015.
I had the privilege of following on from Lex as the Arrowtown Ward Councillor and I remember well my nervousness of living up to the commitment he showed. In the Council Chambers, Lex was instrumental in the establishment of the community housing units on Suffolk Street. Lex was always the first to volunteer and was always the last to clock off at community events. As our local councillor he was even seen sweeping the streets and keeping the place looking beautiful on weekends when our town custodian had his days off. He was a traditional community councillor who was always happy to be hands on and mucking in.
Before taking over from Lex, he took me on a drive around the village plotting every “work in progress” and naming all the people with community concerns that needed attention. He was, it seemed, nervous too, at the thought of letting go when there was still so much work to do. I hope I put his mind at ease.
His passing last week was a great loss to all Arrowtowners. I guess we can take comfort that he and Wendy got to spend some time together, travelling New Zealand in their motorhome, enjoying family and knowing there is a small Central Otago town in the northeast corner of the Wakatipu bearing the fruits of their years of volunteer efforts, and all the better for it.
— Scott Stevens, Arrowtown Ward Councillor 2015–19