Council debt is forecast to be $221 million by June 30 next year.
It has set a debt limit of $252m, 200% of its revenue.
Oskam, a first-term district councillor, announced his bid for the mayoralty in May, promising to bridge the disconnect between elected members and council officers.
He told the Chronicle this week it was important the public had options when it came time to vote.
“Do they want someone out shaking hands and doing the politics stuff, or someone who just does the job and gets things done?” he said.
“I’m the second one. I want to do the work and if no one remembers who I am in 10 years, that’s fine by me.”
A councillor’s first job was to listen and, if they were to speak in a meeting, they had to make it useful, he said.
On August 12, Oskam voted against maintaining and upgrading the Whanganui East Pool, preferring to explore investing money in community groups.
He said he got “a lot of flak” for his decision but stood by it and, if operating costs at the pool for the next 10 years were included, there was a $5m price tag for the project.
“We’ve spent so much time and effort on getting the rates down, arguing about $10,000 here and there.
“Then, come election time, $5m, just like that, without considering the big picture.
“I’m community-first, but I want the best bang for buck.”
When the council was in a strong financial position, “we can do the stuff I really want to do”, Oskam said.
That included investing more in services and organisations, such as Stone Soup, Hakeke Street Community Centre and Library, and Progress Castlecliff.
“For most charities, people donate stuff, physical stuff.
“They don’t fund the people who run them, the administration, the infrastructure in the background.
“Get the debt down so you can help and enable. People will feel council is on their side, working for them, not against them.”
He said he preferred asking communities what their issues and solutions were, instead of using “a whole bunch of consultants”.
A citizens’ assembly, which was used to give recommendations on the Whanganui East Pool, was a good idea, Oskam said.
“Consultants will just tell you what you want to hear, honestly.
“You pay them and what are they going to say, ‘No, you’re an idiot’?
“You’ve just wasted $60,000 on a compliment.”
Oskam voted in favour of Whanganui joining with the Ruapehu District Council to form a joint water delivery entity.
He said he acknowledged public submissions on the issue, which backed going it alone, but “Ruapehu is local”.
“I will go where the [Whanganui] river goes. That needs protecting.
“How much more local can you get than your own river?”
A former general manager of Axiam Diecasting, he said he came with a background in lean management principles, which could be applied to a council setting.
Lean aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness by eliminating waste.
“Wouldn’t it be neat to come into the council and someone actually walks you through the process, all the way?” he said.
“You keep things moving and bang, instead of a month or two, something is done in a few days.”
Oskam said he backed the retention of Māori wards, which the public will vote on in conjunction with this year’s election.
There was “a big difference between equality and equity”.
“Maori have had a whole system, built up over years and years, that has worked against them,” he said.
“Equality is giving everyone a pair of shoes, and equity is giving a pair of shoes that fit. You’re starting on the same line with the same advantages.
“Māori wards aren’t perfect but it’s a s***load better than what we’ve got.”
He is also running as a council candidate in the Whanganui general ward.
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
