No regrets - and no unfinished business. That's how Clive Geddes says he will end his three terms as mayor of New Zealand's fastest-growing district later this year.
"A lot of what the mayor does is represent and advocate for the benefit of the community. There is always stuff at the back of my mind which needs to be done. But I'm confident the new council will move in the same direction as this one," he said.
The highlight of his job was meeting people who cared about the community.
"There are thousands of people in this district who are not happy sitting at home watching television. They want to give their time, resources and often their money, with the support of their families, to the community," he said.
However, the job came with many challenges.
In 2009 the council predicted its debt to rise up to $413 million by 2019.
"Last year we re-evaluated all of our capital expenditure as a priority, and it's only in the last couple of months we are seeing the benefit of that. We have spent less money in the community to lower forecasted debt levels or make our debt more affordable in the future," he said.
"That work needs to continue. Our new chief executive, Debra Lawson, will be undertaking a review of the management and executive side of council, its organisation and efficiency. I'm sure she will be supported by the new council," he said.
He said the council had taken risks by funding projects and services needed for a growing community.
"The problem will be if growth stops. Look at the new $34 million sewerage project, which is going to be debt funded, 60% of that is for growth. So if growth slows more than expected and capacity is used up over a longer timeframe that debt will be unaffordable," he said.
He did not believe in appealing to the Government for special treatment or grants.
"Instead of looking for cheques we should be looking for changes to legislation around landscape protection and the right to collect roading subsidies from visitors. It is unfair for ratepayers to have to pay for maintenance to our roads when it is people from outside the district in large vehicles and campervans who are damaging our roads," he said.
He thought the new council should reinvestigate introducing a bed tax for tourists.
"We floated the idea in 2002 but the hotel sector rejected it. I would like to think the sector would review its position on that because it is a fairer way of rating per occupancy rather than on the value of the property," he said.
The new council would need to focus its efforts on protecting the district's landscape, making sure the community was viable during significant growth and find ways of working more efficiently to deliver council services, he said.
Mr Geddes (65) was chief executive of the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce when he first ran for mayor in 2001.
"I think that there was a lot of uneasiness between the community and the council when I stood for mayor. I believe council should reflect the long term ambitions of the community and quite clearly it was not doing that," he said.
As a first-time mayor he wanted to change the council's direction and to bring it more in line with what the community wanted.
"I wanted to get a much better understanding of what the community wanted. I think I have. The three councils I have been part of, particularly the first two, managed to do that."
It was his idea to undertake district-wide community workshops during his first term in office from 2001 to 2004.
"The scale on which we did those community workshops was a first in New Zealand. We wrote the council's long-term plan, but the community was part of the process. You can't give everyone what they want but the council needs to know its community," he said.
As a mayor he is constantly in the public eye and at the mercy of requests, questions, queries and complaints from the almost 20,000 ratepayers.
"You have to be honest with them, but if they have got positive ideas that are worthwhile considering I've put it into the plan for consideration by the full council," he said.
He thought he had been an accessible mayor.
"I've only had about two calls at home in nine years and my number is in the book. I am 100% accessible through my office. I've tried to go to as many community events, functions and meetings as I can," he said.
"I would say to anyone standing as an elected representative, you should fully understand the level of commitment you will need, to be successful in your role, and you should be able to enjoy it. And don't try to relate the level of commitment to remuneration."
