This is my final column and I feel a mix of pride, sadness and excitement.

I've been in local government for 21 years, and mayor of this great district for the past six. Many things have changed in that time, but for me it has always been about the people.

Many people have been part of Team Brown over the years - my wife Judy, my fellow councillors, council staff and the community. I learned to talk the talk but I also hope you'll see that I have walked the walk too.

We have a new second bridge in the making, our drinking water and wastewater systems are safe and reliable, ratepayers seem happier about the state of our roads and we have invested in a bright future by building Te Whare Whakatere, or as some like to call it, the library and civic building.

The Ashburton District has evolved over the past two decades in many ways - it is still a powerhouse of agriculture, but the people who work on our farms, and in our shops and service businesses come from all corners of the world.

As mayor, I've had a front row seat to these changes and I've attended official openings and galas but also dealt with ratepayers experiencing grief, upset and anger.

It has been a privilege and I'm proud of the relationships that have been built with our community, with Arowhenua, within the wider local government level, and with the country's leaders (and whichever party they represented).

There are certainly challenges ahead, but this district has a solid platform from which council can continue to deliver services, big and small, and and the leaders that voters choose this weekend must navigate societal change and government reform.

The community has a role too, to invest in this district by building their own lives and making the most of what we have on our doorstep.