REDLAND City mayor Karen Williams launched her 2016 election campaign at a breakfast at the RSL on Monday morning.
Cr Williams told the crowd her campaign was based on five major promises. Along with previous plans to fix state government roads by lending the state the money, Cr Williams also said she would instigate a free city circle bus service.
Her promise would come true in the first 100 days after her re-election, she said.
Cr Williams said her first promise was to improve training and education by creating a health precinct, using Birkdale land to attract a university.
Her second strategy was to keep the cost of living low with low rate increases, keeping dumps free and continually looking for new ways to reduce fees and charges and a bulk waste kerbside collection.
Creating a new economy was a third promise and was based on creating enterprise areas, in particular at Thornlands. It also involved using the city's two priority development areas to create jobs and establishing an economic development board.
Cr Williams said the Economic Development Board knew the city could not wait for the NBN and plans were afoot for an innovation centre.
Connecting the city was the fourth promise the mayor said she would pursue if re-elected. She said events such as Rockabilly Revival helped the local economy and the $14million expansion of the Alex Hills Hotel would also draw in businesses. Cr Williams also said she would help to connect the city with better roads and better wi-fi, pathways and bike tracks.
Her final pledge was to enhance the local environment and community space. She said she planned to plant thousands of trees and was committed to the trial of the koala chlamydia vaccine. She also said council was in the process of acquiring the Department of Primary Industries land at Alexandra Hills for community and environmental purposes.
Before starting on her election promises, she thanked her team of councillors including her deputy Alan Beard, Cr Mark Edwards who had looked after the finance portfolio, and planning portfolio chair Julie Talty.
The mayor also thanked Cr Paul Gleeson who oversaw the parks and roadside portfolio.
Cr Williams also promised to ensure she would work as part of a united team if she was elected on March 19.
She introduced candidates on her team including Corinne Tomasi (Div1); Peter Mitchell (Div2); Penny Donald and Karyn Owen (Div3); James Harling (Div4); Sharon Doolan (Div7) and Joy Stewart (Div10).
After the launch, Cr Williams said she announced candidates who supported her seven pledges to tackle traffic congestion; keep rate rises low; seal all dirt roads; increase Pension discounts; Implement free city circle mini bus; Build more boat ramps; Keep dumps free.
