But, with one term completed, and a second well under way, it is a role she now enjoys.
"Initially, I was not at all happy," she said about Mr Familton standing for the mayoralty in 2007 - one of three candidates who challenged incumbent Alan McLay.
"I was totally scared - not for him, but for me." However, when her husband was elected, Mrs Familton decided to "get in and do the job" and, since then, has found the role of mayoress to be "absolutely wonderful".
Her apprehension was fuelled by her fear about being out in front of the public as the first lady of the district. She was also concerned about having to speak publicly, with little experience in that area.
"That's not really me. I had to grab hold of myself and go out and do it."
Although nerve-racking at first, her duties have turned out to be pretty much what she expected.
At most of the public events she attends she is accompanying Mr Familton, although she has attended a small number by herself as the mayoress.
"Speaking in public was a challenge at first but, other than that, it has been wonderful being out among people."
In particular, that has meant meeting the thousands of volunteers who fill diverse roles throughout the district, and Mrs Familton has a great deal of praise for the contribution they make to the running of the district.
"It's been pretty neat to see how much time - some of them full-time - volunteers contribute to the district."
The annual Waitaki District Council citizens' awards ceremony is a highlight for Mrs Familton.
One effect of being mayoress has been to reduce her own voluntary work.
While she has taken on a public role as the mayoress, there is also much behind-the-scenes work. This ranges from handling telephone calls to their Palmerston home while Mr Familton is filling the virtually full-time role of Mayor to continuing to help run the couple's Angus cattle stud.
Some of that workload she also undertook when Mr Familton was the councillor for the Waihemo ward on the Waitaki District Council.
Mr Familton is still involved in running the farm, but Mrs Familton's role has expanded and includes feeding stock and other tasks.
Her advice to future mayoresses: "Take every opportunity to get involved; you will be rewarded so much."
