Fifteen people attended the evening, hosted by the Otago Chamber of Commerce, to hear Mr Lepper talk about his "vision" and the state of the district.
"To be honest, my preference is rather to set up small groups of people around Central Otago so I can can get together with them informally and get the mood of the district. I'm not overly comfortable with this kind of address, and preaching to you, but I'll give it a shot."
He recently asked Central Otago District Council staff to note down what they thought former mayor Malcolm Macpherson did well, and want they wanted him to do.
Those attending last night's meeting were also asked to write down what they thought the council did well, what the council could do better and whether they thought the council needed to do anything for businesses in the area.
"I'm interested in your feedback. At the end of the day, it's the people of Central Otago that should be pulling the strings."
Water and irrigation had always been an important part of Central Otago and farmers were facing a challenging time with changes to water rights.
"Unlike some people who see brown as quintessential Central Otago, to me, green is vital for the wellbeing of this district. Green is what makes money."
District plan change 5 - proposed changes for development and building in rural areas - was going to be extremely important, Mr Lepper said.
The hearings on those changes had been completed and the council would announce its decisions early next year.
"Mostly, the changes cover landscapes, whether you want them intact or to see houses or vineyards on them, for example. Some people want to look at the hills, other people want to live on the hills and plant stuff on them. That's the balance we have to find."
Businesses were going through relatively hard times and the council needed to look at things it did that impeded business growth, he said.
Businessmen Russell Ibbotson and Les Hull spoke about the importance of council response to development and business innovation.
Opportunities had been missed because the council did not foster business development, they said.
Council red tape had been a barrier to businesses expanding or remaining in Alexandra, and the subdivision of rural properties, other businesspeople said.
"I think people want the council to say how can we help you, not how can we hinder you," Daphne Hull said.
