COUNCILLOR Adam Shultz will stand for mayor of Lake Macquarie after he was preselected unopposed as a Labor candidate.
The father-of-three and former deputy mayor said he hopes he can bring a fresh perspective to the role and build on the success fostered under mayor Kay Fraser's leadership.
Cr Fraser announced last Friday that she would retire after almost two decades in local government.
"I have been overwhelmed by the encouragement I have received from colleagues on council and our local branch members, and I thank them for their strong support," he said.
"This is a unique opportunity for renewal and I want to build on Kay's legacy as mayor of Lake Macquarie."
Cr Shultz has lived in Lake Macquarie his entire life, having grown up in Warners Bay and now raising his three children in the city.
He said he knows firsthand the issues families are facing, and if elected one of his priorities will be to continue to invest in local playgrounds, parks, recreational facilities and public spaces.
Also high on his list is encouraging businesses to set up in Lake Macquarie, investing in public infrastructure improvements around the city's natural assets and working alongside council administration to ensure it remains the "collaborative, innovative and sustainable" organisation ratepayers and residents expect.
Cr Shultz confirmed all six other incumbent Labor councillors had been endorsed to stand again.
"I'm really excited and pumped for the next six months," he said.
"I know I have the experience, energy and skills to serve our community as mayor of Lake Macquarie and I will work hard to ensure the continued success of residents and businesses in our area."
Cr Shultz served as Lake Macquarie's deputy mayor from September 2022 to 2023, and has represented East Ward since 2016.
He said the deputy mayor role gave him firsthand leadership experience, which he loved.
"I've thought about it for a long time, having been on council for 7.5 years," he said.
He works in the financial services industry and holds a Masters of Public Policy, Bachelor Degrees in Commerce and Business, a Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance and Risk Management, a Diploma of Financial Services and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Voters will head to the ballot box in September.
