WHITESBORO, NY – The Village of Oriskany celebrated the retirement of Mayor Donald Rothdiener with a banquet at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro Saturday.

Rothdiener did not seek re-election after serving 30 years as Oriskany’s mayor.

Before that, he served as village trustee for 10 years.

Senator Joe Griffo served as Master of Ceremonies for the event.

In his 30 years as the mayor of Oriskany, nobody ever ran against him.

“I don’t think anybody wanted the job,” joked Rothdiener.

“It is a trying job. You have to be there. It’s not a part-time job, although they say it is. It isn’t. You need to be there.”

Rothdiener said he knew last year it was time to retire.

“I was slowing down. I couldn’t get to the meetings that I needed to go to and I said this is not right. If you can’t do this, do the job, then it’s time to wrap it up.”

The retired mayor said he's proud of the many things the village was able to accomplish during his 30 years of service as mayor.

Among them, the Oriskany Museum and Trinkaus Park.