Carolyn Ion is putting her hat in the ring for the mayoral role after nearly 18 years as a Kawerau District councillor.

Though she is also standing as a councillor at large, she feels the time is now right for her to step forward.

“You have got to be ready to take this step. It’s got to be right for yourself, your family – it’s got to line up,” she said.

Ion said she had thoroughly enjoyed her nearly six terms on the council. It was just one of her many long-standing connections to Kawerau.

“I was raised here and I have raised a family here.”

She said her parents, with their young family of three children, moved to Kawerau from the South Island, but never intended to stay long.

“The intention was for two years. Dad was a shift electrician at Tasman Pulp and Paper. They never left.”

She married local man Michael Ion, whose grandfather Harold Ion was the first principal of Kawerau North School and one of the district’s first councillors.

The couple raised three children in Kawerau and Ion did her time on school boards before migrating to council.

“I had a great time growing up and being educated in Kawerau, as did our children.”

She played a range of sports, including Kawerau women’s hockey, and represented her schools in hockey, tennis and swimming. She is still involved with the sporting community in supporting roles, managing teams, and has been on the Kawerau Sports Club committee since 2009.

“It’s important to get kids and young men and women out on the field,” she said.

In 2008 she joined the board of directors for the Kawerau Enterprise Agency.

“As an in-kind board director, I’m proud to be part of a team of like-minded people who care about our town, supporting businesses and positive social outcomes.”

Ion is also a local Justice of the Peace.

With a background in finance, she still works part-time as an administrator.

“I was at the BNZ when the BNZ had 26 staff in Kawerau.”

Since then, while raising her children, she has done administration and finance for a range of local businesses and Māori organisations.

She said she would bring 18 years of experience as a councillor to the role, including her strong grounding as a committee chairwoman for a number of years.

“The chair is an interesting position because it is a leadership role. It puts you in good stead for stepping forward.”

Ion said she was guided by her experience, grounded in the community and focused on the future of Kawerau.

No other Kawerau mayoral candidates had been officially listed as of 12pm Thursday.

Several new names were standing for councillor seats.

Besides Ion and current councillor Berice Julian, Wayne Andrews is standing for one of the two district-wide “at large” seats.

For the three seats on the Kawerau general ward, Melissa Drummond, Tracy-Ann Hill, Lyndal Kennedy and Anthony Worsley are currently listed as candidates.

Waikite Apiata and Melany Dowie are the only candidates listed for the three new Māori ward seats.

Candidates have until noon on Friday to get their nominations in.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.