The Hamilton East Ward by-election is well underway. Photo / Tom Rowland
The Hamilton East Ward by-election is well underway. Photo / Tom Rowland
Hamilton City Council's East Ward by-election is in full swing with 15 candidates putting their hands up to fill the vacant seat left by Phillip Yeung.
Hamilton News contacted all the candidates to ask them what will be the three priorities they will tackle if elected to council.
The candidates have started campaigning as voting packs will be delivered to houses on the east side of Hamilton on January 26 and voting will run until February 17.
An official declaration of the result will be made on February 22.
Possum Allen is 56 and for 25 years has been the managing director of a local arboricultural company. Mr Allen wants to tackle three major issues as well as finding a compromise on the rates increase.
"I want to look at safe communities and community policing, sustainable urban design and improving our environment and affordable housing and working to make more land available for housing projects," Mr Allen said.
"The issue at the top of my list would be negotiating a win-win situation for ratepayers in terms of rates increases being kept to the absolute minimum realistic increase. I think that is a priority."
Meleane Burgess did not respond before deadline. Information previously provided was used instead.
Ms Burgess is an accountant, a graduate of the University of Waikato Management School, founder and Chairperson of Waikato Pacific Business Network Inc.
"My priorities for Hamilton are sensible and prudent financial management and accountability with rates. I am committed to the development and maintenance of community spaces," Ms Burgess said.
I'm passionate about our growing city and believe it is important to ensure that with this fast-paced growth comes innovative, prudent planning and support for all aspects of community life which includes supporting local business through economic growth and realising ratepayers' aspirations for a liveable city."
Robert Curtis
Robert Curtis asked that the Council not release or publish his contact details and he was unable to be contacted by Hamilton News for comment.
His candidate details on the council website state he is from a farming family.
He was born in Cambridge. He is 46 years old. After returning from Matata he made his home in Hamilton where he has worked for 26 years.
Deborah Fisher is a 47-year-old full time mother with a passion for the community and an interest in Council affairs.
She has been following, learning and researching Council issues for the last six years.
"I would like to see the funding for community projects spread more evenly over those already approved such as the zoo, museum, Waiwhakareke, gullies, Frankton Neighbourhood Plan, Hamilton East Neighbourhood Plan, bike plan, skate park and river plan," Ms Fisher said.
"Much of the currently proposed rates increase is being caused by the need to raise revenue to borrow against for the Peacock development.
"If elected I will request Council seek an alternative growth plan that does not cost residents as much."
Ryan Hamilton is a 38-year-old business owner and he has three goals if elected to the council.
"I want to provide more clarity around the rates process, to build more collaborative partnerships with business and the community — the likes of Momentum and property developers such as garden place so council isn't always picking up the tab for everything and to maintain existing infrastructure and not let maintenance lapse for the sake of budgets appearing better than they are," Mr Hamilton said.
Horiana Henderson
Horiana Henderson. Photo / Supplied
Horiana Henderson is 38 and a mother of three.
She is currently in her third year as a Bachelor of Media Arts student.
"I am standing for Council because as a first home owner, wife and mother I have become increasingly aware of the impact City Council decisions have on families both financially and in maintaining Hamilton as a family friendly city to live in," Mrs Henderson said.
Mrs Henderson will focus on three aspects of Hamilton if elected — minimising financial burden on families and ratepayers, environmental sustainability and keeping Hamilton a great place to live.
Peter Humphreys
Peter Humphreys. Photo / Supplied
Peter Humphreys is 58 years old and is the manager of Hamilton Christian Nightshelter.
Mr Humphrey's focus is on rates, community and consultation and city safety.
"Rates are out of control and we are just about to spend more money on projects that may in-debt the city even more.
"It is time to really look at developments like Peacocks Development and actually see if the citizens of Hamilton will benefit from this and whether Peacocks Development is actually the best way to expand the city," Mr Humphreys said.
Mr Laing will focus on bringing down the rates and opposing the Hamilton Gardens entry fee, he will also look at the Claudelands Event Centre.
"This one facility loses millions of dollars each year.
"For its projected deficit in the next financial year of $7.7m we could pretty much build all the remaining destination playgrounds the Mayor was so keen to axe from the 10-Year Plan," Mr Laing said.
Ross MacLeod is a 38-year-old producer and performer. He wants to shift focus from big project spending to innovative community focus projects.
"I support expanding the destination playground programme and investing in community assets like our libraries and in partnering with community based organisation," Mr MacLeod said.
"Put more focus on sustainability. This a broad issue that includes infrastructure, waste and recycling, environment and maintaining our assets. "
"Recent years have seen maintenance failures close Founders and the Municipal pools and threaten the Central Library and Waterworld."
"How many other assets vital to our city are at risk?"
Mano Manoharan has worked for the largest Hamilton printer for the last 28 years, and for more than 20 years on weekendshe works as a market research face-to-face interviewer for most of the market research companies.
Mr Manoharan has three goals.
"Any idea Hamilton people want in the city I will take it up inside Council. Affordable rate increases by listening to the voice of the people.
"I will not keep my phone on answer all the time but will make myself available for community consultations."
Sarkaw Mohammad
Sarkaw Mohammad. Photo / Supplied
Sarkaw Mohammad is a 31-year-old chiropractor and owner of Hillcrest Spinal Centre. She is running for the vacant east ward seat to speak for the Hamilton community.
"People make communities and communities make a city. People and community are at the heart of my focus and their needs should not be neglected in order to give the city a cosmetic change," Ms Mohammad said.
"I am against a rates rise. I do believe we need more sports fields in the East ward and support development that doesn't adversely affect ratepayers."
"I don't think we should be charging people for entering our Gardens, and there is no need to invest any more time or money into Garden Place. I support certain aspects of the plan but at this stage going ahead with changes in Garden Place is a matter of we want rather than we need."
Chris Rollitt
Chris Rollitt. Photo / Supplied
Chris Rollitt is a 52-year-old hotelier. He was previously owner of the Cook Cafe & Bar in Hamilton east, but sold it to Good George in October last year.
"We do not need to see any more silly projects like Garden Place being re-developed, or a central city park," Mr Rollitt said.
"Hamilton is growing at a fantastic rate. We need to get our day to day expenses under control, and then focus on the needs of all the residents of our city, and grow clever economically and socially sustainable communities.
"Council should be an enabler, but not a developer."
Matthew Small
Matthew Small. Photo / Supplied
Matthew Small is a 23-year-old disability support worker and will focus on taking items out of the 10 year plan to bring the rates increase down.
"I would vote against the proposed 16 per cent rate increase.
"Instead increase current rates from 3.8 per cent to 5 or 6 per cent so people can afford to pay their rates and we can pay down existing debit," Mr Small said.
"I will vote against projects in the current 10 year plan like the $3.9 million dollar upgrade of Garden Place and the $18 million dollar City River Park."
Maxine van Oosten
Maxine van Oosten. Photo / Supplied
Maxine van Oosten is 55 and works as a field officer for NZEI Te Riu Roa.
Her work involves working with teachers and education staff and leaders to empower them to promote quality public education.
"I want Hamilton to be a great city where people can raise their families here, as I did, and proudly call it their own," Ms van Oosten said.
"That means having fair and affordable rates, public spaces that are free for families to use (pools and parks, cycle ways etc), comprehensive public transport that is accessible for all especially our senior citizens and the disabled."
Michael West is 55 years old and is the owner of Michael West Engineering Ltd in Frankton which he founded in 1984.
Mr West if elected would want to tackle the rates increase as soon as possible.
"By far my greatest concern is the shockingly large rate increases.
"I have yet to double check my calculations, but factoring in the 9.5 per cent rate increases proposed for both 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, I believe the increase in rates between the 2011/2012 year and the 2019/2020 year will be about 62 per cent, which is around four times the rate of inflation over that period," he said.
