Almost 80 people turned out for the meeting, organised by 83-year-old 'Nanny Rachel' Velden, who said the town had many problems, ''but if we all work together we should be able to find a solution."
Much of the discussion centred on the town's thriving past and complaints about perceived police inaction, Reilly saying the town needed a visible police presence to deter crime.
''You can't find a policeman when you want one,'' he said.
He also bemoaned kids on bikes in the main street - ''I just saw one a few minutes ago, pulling a wheelstand'' - saying the town needed a pump track and pad where kids could ride safely.
Dave Cortesi said police wouldn't do anything about motorbikes racing up and down his street, while Lily Rawson was concerned about litter dropped on streets and in waterways. She said more bins and a zero tolerance approach were needed, though ultimately the answer lay in adults teaching their tamariki to respect Papatūanuku.
Physiotherapist Stuart Kay questioned why, if the meeting had been called to discuss problems with youth, there wasn't a single rangatahi (young person) present.
''We should be talking to them first. They need to be brought into the picture now, not later," she said.
The town had no shortage of good youth leaders, but most left once they finished school. The challenge for Kaikohe was to ''lift the community'' so they wanted to come back.
Some blamed the media for Kaikohe's ills, and others called for a return to religious education in schools.
Speakers included representatives from the Ministry of Education and Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi. The police were invited but did not attend.
Co-organiser Megan Hepi said she would compile a list of common themes raised at the meeting and circulate them around the community, the next step being to come up with an action plan.
