On December 1, Ms Ritchie sent a letter to Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan and her fellow board members, tendering her resignation, and wishing the board and community well for the future.
The letter did not offer an explanation for the move, but Ms Ritchie told the Otago Daily Times yesterday it had been precipitated by a ''change of circumstances'', and had been expected ''for a while''.
''I actually moved to Dunedin with my family and new partner in November 2016, but as I was already on the board at that stage, I felt I still had a role to play as a good community citizen. This has been my second term on the board, so a total of five years altogether, and that's allowed me to follow through on some key projects I helped get going. Now it's time to stand down and let someone else get stuck in.''
Ms Ritchie said she had brought her Lawrence homeware and interior design business Olea with her to Dunedin, and would continue to operate it from a recently completed home studio.
She also co-owned South Dunedin business Radiator Services with partner Scott Helm.
Lawrence born-and-bred, she said the town would remain a ''big part'' of her life.
''I'd love to see the Gabriels Gully track completed, and I still have family up there, so I'll be around.
''My experiences on the board have been very rewarding, and I've huge respect for all the board members.''
