Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan said it has been an incredible privilege to serve the district over the past eight years, “and it’s hard to let go. But it’s time.”

Reflecting on his tenure, Mayor Tim told The Outlet it had been a very strange feeling since making his announcement two weeks ago.

“A lot of my time as Mayor I have looked at people who cling to privilege and I’m not going to,” he said.

He’s had dinner with the Prime Minister and opened A&P shows, appeared on national media many times and chatted with little old ladies in the coffee shops - and enjoyed it all.

“But I’ve started to become a bit of the person I don’t want to be and it’s grinding me down a bit,” he said.

Mayor Tim said he’d learned how to handle criticisms and was always one for a good quote “only let the criticism of those you respect affect you."

“But obviously there are those times I have got it wrong.”

While blessed that he never had to declare a state of emergency, he said the Roxburgh floods came close and of course there were the tough times of Covid-19.

It had been challenging working in a small council “that runs on an oily rag,” and admits they’d get a lot more done if they had more resources.

There was only one person working in economic development, for example, and it was constantly a frustration for not only himself but the community, that things were done slowly.

But he said Central Otago was blessed that it wasn’t involved in ‘party politics’ like other parts of the country, and people were willing to listen to others' points of view.

“I’ve only had to use my casting vote once in eight years,” he said.

Listen to Mayor Tim’s last podcast with The Outlet here

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