Bill Izard is campaigning to be elected to the Masterton District Council. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED
While elections are anything but magical, a budding mayoral candidate for Masterton District Council hopes to change that.
He goes by the title The Wizard. And he flies.
William Izard [W.Izard], a keen pilot and manufacturer, has returned to Masterton after 20 years of living outside the Wairarapa region.
He intends to run for Masterton’s mayoralty and the council once candidate nominations open in July.
Izard said he was inspired to get involved in local politics to “sort a new direction combating rates, poor accountability, secret meetings, civic centre chaos, overstaffing, and budgets”.
Izard started in the manufacturing industry in 1980 and owned the company Izard Engineering Masterton.
“We are back in Masterton after 20 years, and it feels like we never left,” he said.
“My wife of 40 years, Lynda, wanted to move back to be close to our daughter and grandchildren.”
Izard’s family ties to Masterton date back to the 1800s farm settlements at Matahiwi.
“It’s nice to be back, meeting old friends; it’s really a time warp.
“It’s great to see Masterton developing and growing up, but I’m shocked at council governance.
“We need a unified new council with a common-sense approach and fully community minded.
“It’s time for tough measures during tough times … the ratepayers are not a bottomless pit.”
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He was not supportive of the council’s plans to build a new civic facility at a northern location.
Instead, he wants a civic centre or replacement town hall to be built at the present town hall site and believed it should include an information centre and some council staff and archives.
He said the town library should be extended instead of being included in a new civic facility.
Izard is a volunteer at Age Concern, is a Rotarian, and has governance and directorship experience.
He is also a keen aircraft flyer and has been flying since the age of 15.
He enjoys long-distance walking and regularly tramps in the Tararuas.
Candidate nominations for local government elections open on July 15. Voting opens on September 16 and closes on October 8. Final results will be announced on October 14. — NZLDR
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
