The man who has spent the last 30 years helping to build Mandurah into the city it is today, said what he'll miss most as he enters retirement were the people.
"It's always about the people," Allan Claydon, director of the City's Built and Natural Environment team said.
"We have a lot of high quality people who work for the City and I tell them, it can be a thankless task but it's always rewarding to see what you've achieved. It seems hard sometimes, but look back at what you've contributed to making Mandurah what it is and be proud of it."
Moving to Mandurah with his wife Sue when he was first employed as the City's deputy engineer in 1991, the couple have raised their two sons and have seen significant changes.
"We've lived here since day one, had two sons here and been part of the community," Mr Claydon said. "Our sons are one of the reasons we stayed so long. When they were getting ready to start high school we sat them down for a chat and asked them if they wanted to move. They both wanted to stay here, so they made the choice for us and we're happy they did.
Mr Claydon's retirement plans include getting back to some of his long-neglected hobbies such as golfing, fishing and boating.
"To be honest it's been a bloody high pressure job for a long time. I'm looking forward to enjoying the City now," he said.
When I asked him what his golf handicap was he laughed, "I don't have a handicap yet, I have a set of clubs that need dusting off".
Managing and maintaining $1.3billion of City assets has been a challenging but rewarding task.
"I guess I've faced challenges throughout my whole time because we [the City] continued to evolve and had such huge growth. We were always striving to do the next thing that was needed by the community," Mr Claydon reflected. "We're not blessed with masses of money, so you've got to find the most cost-effective way of delivering high standard facilities."
His time wasn't just spent behind a desk though, sometimes going out with maintenance crews for some hands-on work, building connections with the team.
"I've always been part of the team; it's not just about driving a desk," he said. "You understand what they're going through and let them know you get it.
"One time we were down at the man-made beach in Wannanup," he recalled. "They put me in a bush and I said 'What the hell are we doing here?' and they told me it was a defacto toilet. Well that beach got a toilet block, let me tell you!"
Mr Claydon also said that being a regional centre meant the people working at the City also lived here and were more invested in what they're doing because of it.
"You can see that. They're proud of what they're doing. We're a more close-knit organisation than you would otherwise find," he said.
City of Mandurah chief Mark Newman described Mr Claydon as a "dynamo". The pair have worked together for 28 years and for two years prior at the City of Broome.
"He'll be sorely missed", Mr Newman acknowledged. "He's truly made a difference. You don't get many people who've made such a difference. It won't be the same without him."
I asked Mr Claydon what he was most proud of from his time at the City.
"I think it's the legacy you leave behind," he replied. "Because you're living in the community, you're living with the results of your work. It's a quality place to live and I'm pleased to have been a part of that."