Four candidates for mayoral seat
Nominations in Waipā have closed with competition in all but one seat.
People in Waipā will cast their ballots from 16 September to 12 noon on 8 October this year to elect a Mayor, two Community Boards and 11 Councillors. For the very first time, a Waipā Māori ward councillor will be elected.
Jim Mylchreest is up against three other candidates in the mayoral race; Susan O’Regan, Chris Woodhams and Bernard Westerbaan.
Bernard Westerbaan is also running against Marcus Gower, Lou Brown, Andrew Brown, James Parlane and Bernie Fynn for one of three councillor positions in the Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Ward.
The largest and most populated of the district’s wards, Cambridge, has seen six candidates raise their hands for the four councillor vacancies. They are Liz Stolwyk, Don Sanders, Roger Gordon, Mike Pettit, Philip Coles, and Delwyn Smith.
In the running for the inaugural Waipā Māori ward councillor seat is Bill Harris Gaylene Roberts and Takena Stirling.
In the Pirongia-Kakepuku Ward Clare St Pierre, Corilin Steel and Bruce Thomas vie for two councillor positions while Les Bennett and Mike Montgomerie go head-to-head for the lone Maungatautari seat around the Council table.
Les Bennett is also listed as a Maungatautari Community Board nomination for the single vacancy together with Ruth Nicolls and Andrew Myers.
Other community board nominations include Bernard Westerbaan, Jill Taylor, John Wood, Ange Holt, Georgina Christie, Sally Whitaker, James Parlane and Norris Hall for Te Awamutu-Kihikihi which has four positions available. Kane Titchener is the lone candidate for the single Kakepuku seat on the Te Awamutu – Kihikihi Community Board; the only uncontested Waipa seat in this election.
Alana McKay, Sue Milner, Jo Davies-Colley, Selina Oliver, Krystie Brickland, David Slone, Micah Webb, Cherie Weinberg, Delwyn Smith and Elise Badger will compete for four Cambridge Community Board vacancies.
Waipā Governance Manager Jo Gread wished all the candidates the best during their campaigns and appealed to them to adhere to the electioneering rules.
“Being nominated as a candidate for the upcoming elections places you in the running to be in the privileged position of deciding the future direction of the district.
“I urge all candidates to make the most of this opportunity.”
For more information about the roles and responsibilities of each position and for other election information head to waipadc.govt.nz/our-council/elections.
