Kaipara Mayor Neil Tiller has taken aim at his critics, accusing them of spreading misleading information about him and the council's performance.
Mr Tiller is seeking a second term as the district mayor in a two-candidate race against councillor Bill Guest.
Mr Guest has criticised the council's leadership, governance, poor financial management and in particular the performance of its chief executive, Jack McKerchar.
Mr Tiller said the criticism was unfair, because Mr Guest was part of the council that made the decisions and also held the portfolio for finance and regulatory for the first 18 months of the council's term.
Mr Guest continued to raise concerns about the performance of the chief executive - yet only last year, Mr Guest proposed Mr McKerchar received in full, a $10,000 contestable bonus, and convinced the council to add this amount to the base salary rather than continue it as an annual contestable amount, Mr Tiller said.
Critics have raised issues on a perceived blow-out of the budget for CPG consultants contract to the tune of $14 million, council debt, the proposed district plan and council's debtors.
Mr Tiller denies a CPG blow-out, saying the council's contract with the consultants was in several parts, with only one part being a fixed-price contract.
All work within the various sectors of the contract had been within budget and this had been confirmed by the Audit Office.
Of the council debt totalling $79 million, only $3.5 million is services from the general rates, the rest is serviced by communities benefiting from the money.
The council was experiencing a cashflow problem but was continuing to pursue the $5 million owed by debtors, $2.2 million of which is owed in rates and $1.2 million in resource consents. "Like any business, we are feeling the effects of the recession - the council has never experienced this level of debtor before."
The council under his leadership had many achievements, Mr Tiller said. "This council's workload has been bigger than any council before has ever had to face."
The council had addressed long-standing issues, such as the new swimming pool, the introduction of recycling to the parts of the district, a new sewerage treatment plant and all weather water supply at Maungaturoto, a new sewerage scheme at Mangawhai.
Community services, such as two skateboard parks at Dargaville and Mangawhai are proceeding, the Dargaville Library has been relocated, and the council is working with a community trust to establish a picture theatre.
Mr Guest is standing behind his criticism saying: "As far as I am concerned, there has been no misinformation on anything I have said.
"With regard to Mr McKerchar's bonus - it made better financial sense to pay the whole amount than to spend $2000 per day on consultancy fees in order to make the decision."
Mayor Tiller lashes out at his critics
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