Uncertainty clouds the Tauranga by-election with two councillors indicating mayoral runs and a third considering resigning - an act that could delay the by-election.
This follows Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta's confirmation on Friday she would appoint a commission to Tauranga City Council in the new year, which would seethe nine elected members replaced with an unknown number of Government-appointed commissioners.
Mahuta said the commissioner appointments would be announced in February.
The by-election for a new mayor and councillor, however, is already under way with nominations due to close at midday today.
Councillors John Robson and Kelvin Clout, both former mayoral candidates, each told the Bay of Plenty Times yesterday they planned to run for mayor in the by-election.
Greg Brownless, who was Tauranga mayor last term, also said he planned to stand in the by-election, as did
Brian Friend - the only nominated mayoral candidate listed on the council's website as of 4pm on Monday.
Independent electoral officer for the council, Warwick Lampp, said there was nothing in the legislation that would allow the by-election process to stop in the current circumstances.
He has previously estimated the by-election would cost $280,000 and said it was unlikely any by-election winners would be sworn in before the commission was appointed.
If, however, another councillor resigned this week, he said the nomination process would have to start over and the by-election would be delayed - potentially until the commission was appointed and the race was cancelled.
Electoral officer Warwick Lampp. Photo / File
Yesterday councillor Heidi Hughes confirmed she was looking into the option of resigning and what it would mean, but had not made a final decision.
Some councillors the Bay of Plenty Times spoke to yesterday raised the potential opportunity to be invited by the commission to sit on committees or sub-committees as a reason not to stand down.
Hughes, a first-term councillor, said she was likely done with local politics, though she could "never say never". She planned to spend summer weighing up some projects she could get back into.
She said the situation in Tauranga should be used as a catalyst for significant change in the system around local government as the council environment became more challenging and complex - especially in growing areas.
"We need to take a good look at all the pieces that created this situation. It wasn't just some election members, there is a lot of history."
In her view, commissioners would "solve some problems but create some others".
Former Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless. Photo / File
Clout said he planned to put in a nomination form "as a precaution" in case something happened in the next month or two before commissioners were appointed.
"At least then if anything does happen I still have my hat in the ring."
He said at this stage he would not be running a campaign or launching any policies.
He said he still truly believed he had something to offer the mayoral position "despite everything that has gone on in the last year".
Asked about the cost of the by-election, he said that should have been thought through when the minister decided to appoint commissioners.
Tauranga councillor Kelvin Clout. Photo/ File
"Eight out of nine of us wanted a Crown manager, which would have meant the by-election would have continued on without any form of disruption."
Acting mayor Tina Salisbury said she probably would not stand in the mayoral by-election.
She said it was likely commissioners would be in before the end of the by-election.
She said a few people were looking into what options may be available to save the city "the money and the angst" of a by-election running over January and February.
Acting Tauranga mayor Tina Salisbury. Photo / File
Andrew Hollis said he probably wouldn't stand either, unless he came across an extraordinarily compelling reason.
Councillors Larry Baldock and Bill Grainger were not interested in the role while councillors Steve Morris and Dawn Kiddie were not able to be reached for comment.
In the race for the Pyes Pa/Ōtumoetai ward seat vacated by Jako Abrie, at least one candidate still plans to run while another has called off his campaign.
Keegan Millan, who announced publicly he would run for the vacant ward councillor position, however, said he would not stand because it would be a waste of ratepayers' money.
He said if there was a by-election, any winners would be redundant with the commission coming in.
"I won't nominate because it's a waste of my money and of ratepayers' money. I'll give it another crack in two years."
Kim Williams - the only formally nominated candidate - said her nomination would stand until she was told the by-election was cancelled.
She said it was an unfortunate and strange situation, but she was still ready to run and serious about her bid and would run again in 2022 if it did not happen this time.
The Bay of Plenty Times raised the timing of the commissioner announcement, given the by-election, with the minister's office, which passed the question to the Department of Internal Affairs.
A spokesperson for the department said the timing was "unfortunate".
"This is simply how this has played out, and we had to give the council sufficient time to respond to our concerns before the most appropriate action could be determined.
"Decisions about what the council chooses to do or not do regarding the election sit with the electoral officer, within the requirements of the act. It is up the electoral officer to obtain their own legal advice and risk assessment."
- Correction: This story previously described mayoral candidate Brian Friend as the owner of The Pool Shop. Friend is a former, not current, owner of this business.
