She's bidding for the leadership of the Corporation of Hamilton at perhaps the most challenging time in its history.

But Kathryn Gibbons believes her track record in just two years as common councillor demonstrates she can bring change if she makes the step up and becomes the City's first woman mayor.

Elected in June 2007 after winning the first contested Corporation of Hamilton election for that office since 1988, Mrs. Gibbons chairs the legislative, communications and staff committees and serves on the finance, property, and planning and development committees.

She said: "I haven't been a seat warmer, I have put in a lot of work."

As achievements she lists drafting a plan for reforming the Corporation and expanding the franchise to allow all City dwellers on the Parliamentary register to vote in Corporation elections. And she says she pushed for the creation of a human resources department. "Staffing has improved dramatically and we have a much more motivated staff."

Mrs. Gibbons said she had pushed hard for an extended 2007 audit with tangible results being seen in 2008.

Best known as the wife of former United Bermuda Party leader Grant Gibbons, Mrs. Gibbons, who works as a communications and marketing consultant for local companies, has a resume which includes management roles including a US pharmaceutical company where she managed a staff of 32 and a $12 million budget.

"If I do become the first woman mayor I hope it would encourage other women to get involved with public service.

"Hamilton would be playing catch up, St. George's has already had two female mayors while we have had two female Premiers. It is a little overdue."

She is up against a team of aldermen and councillors allied to rival candidate Charles Gosling.

But the Corporation has never been about parties or factions, said Mrs. Gibbons. "Personally I think the voters would prefer the nine elected members to think independently, that way they are accountable to the voters and not special interests."

If the Mayor was allied with a faction there would be no point in discussion, argued Mrs. Gibbons. "In my opinion that is not the way democratic municipal Government should operate."

Sustainable development on the waterfront is a key goal for Mrs. Gibbons after consultation with numerous groups on the Island. "I think the last version of the waterfront development scared a lot of people because of the way the computer graphics featured very heavy massing at one end.

"None of that is carved in stone. We have the opportunity going forward to do whatever we want after taking on comments from taxpayers and anyone who is interested. This will play a key role in Bermuda's economic future."

She said environmental studies were due to be finished by the end of the year. "At that point we either have to get the approval of Government to proceed or we have to stop."

Although the current plan had approval she said there now seems to be hesitation by Government about moving forward. "What is important is that after the election the dialogue starts again. At the moment it's basically come to a halt."

She said Government had yet to make its case for abolishing the Corporations an act she hopes can be stopped with respectful dialogue.

To press on would undermine local democracy, said Mrs. Gibbons. "Everyone at the Corporation recognises reform was overdue, a plan was created to effect reform, then that plan was ignored."

She said repealing the Municipalities Act was simple enough, but abolishing the Corporations might be very much more involved.

"There would be a series of complex negotiations with Government. I think they are underestimating how long it will take to conclude. I don't think there is any way it can be done in one year.

"There's no doubt the Corporation of Hamilton is facing the most challenging time in its history," she said. "The Government has just announced its intentions to abolish municipal government in Bermuda, a decision I believe undermines local democracy. We should be encouraging public participation at the local constituency level and expanding the right to vote, not taking it away."

She believes more parking is needed at the perimeter of the city. It might mean another storey being added to the Cavendish parking lot, halfway up Spurling Hill.

Parking is becoming a nightmare, said Mrs. Gibbons, because people were ignoring tickets and leaving their cars because the law wasn't being enforced.

One idea is to put a smart chip in sun visors, it could make paper parking vouchers a thing of the past. "It makes it easier for traffic wardens and gives us more information. In the long run it may make it more efficient and effective."