Sitting mayor David Buist predicts Papakura will soon be a boomtown, revived with more shops, people and energy.
The key to the dream of the 71-year-old, once again a mayoral candidate, is to create a transport system which will bring people - and therefore spending - back into the central business
area.
One of six candidates for the top job, Mr Buist took over from former mayor David Hawkins just nine months ago and he wants a few more years in the job.
The former mining engineer says the central business area should be developed and integrated with the town railway station, which should in turn be developed with the regional network, a priority now that Britomart was going ahead.
Papakura's business area was a bit behind the times, he said. "It's a little bit depressing in the centre of town."
But a central business strategy was in place and given another couple of years "the whole place will boom".
A retired judge is also in the mayoralty race but Judge Trevor Maxwell just wants to be known as Trev.
The former president of New Zealand Rugby League says his career has been one of public service since the early 1960s when he was a member of the Waikato Hospital Board and practised law in Te Kuiti.
A district magistrate and district court judge for about 20 years, he was deeply involved in public issues such as health, education and judicial reform.
"I was approached to stand by a group and I saw it as an opportunity since I'm retired to do something for the local community."
His first priority as mayor would be the revitalisation of the town centre which was "dying on its feet".
Also in the race is a former councillor, Lucas Bunt, who has sat on numerous community committees and founded the South Auckland Music Scholarship Trust and the New Zealand Opera Quartet.
His intention is to change the image of the council - putting right all that has gone wrong over the past few years. He also talks of development without which Papakura will stagnate.
First-time candidate Dereck Paora is a law student.
Feature: Local body elections 2001
www.localgovt.co.nz
