After selling his business, Chris Rollitt, 51, has joined the campaign trail for the city council East Ward by-election to be held in February.
Mr Rollitt says he wants to make sure that Hamilton City Council sticks with its commitments to the community.
"They need to follow through on the promises of schools, playgrounds and parks to ensure our community has the very things that make a community vibrant," Mr Rollitt said.
"We seem to get lost or distracted by a new central city theatre, and its shiny promises and forget about the promises that have been made in the past and not honoured."
The council vacancy follows the death of Councillor Philip Yeung in September.
Mr Rollitt has been in business in Hamilton since 1995 and is the former owner of the Cook Restaurant in Hamilton East. He also played a part in the establishment of the Hamilton East Community Trust.
"The trust has been continually advocating for Hamilton East. The recognition of our heritage and community value in Hamilton such as getting the Steele Park Playground updated."
Mr Rollitt is the second person, after disability support worker Matthew Small, to announce they will stand for the vacancy. Officially, nominations open today, when nomination papers will be available via the council website or at the council's customer service desk. Nominations close on Friday 22 December 22.
Further information for Hamilton City Council's East Ward by-election is available on the council website, hamilton.govt.nz/byelection
How to vote
Voting is by postal vote from Friday 26 January to noon on Saturday 17 February.
The preliminary electoral roll will be available for public inspection between 24 November and 22 December at:
* Customer Services Desk, Municipal Building, Garden Place.
* Council's Central Pop-up Library, Garden Place.
* Hillcrest Library.
* Waikato Migrant Resource Centre, Boundary Road.
* Waikato Regional Council, Grey Street.