WEBSTER, N.Y. — Webster will have to elect a new town supervisor next year. Tom Flaherty, the current town supervisor, has confirmed he does not plan to run for re-election in 2025.

Flaherty has lived in Webster since the 70s and is an RBJ 40-under-40 award recipient.

News10NBC interviewed Flaherty on Monday about the decision.

“The decision to not run again started back in 2019 when I initially ran for office because I said at that time it seemed like something that would be a 4-to-6-year gig,” he said. “I’m just not a person who believes in career politicians. I entered this at 55 years old, so I didn’t have any aspirations to climb the ladder to become governor. It’s kind of old-school; I just wanted to do my civic duty – come in, do it, step out, and hand it to the next person.”

When asked what he was most proud of, Flaherty highlighted the people who helped him get the job done.

“What I’m most proud of is the team that we’ve assembled here in town government – the department heads and how they operate for the citizens, I call them our 45,000 customers in town,” he said. “I just think we have put together a dream team, we collaborate – it’s really fun to come to work with these people. That’s not something you go out as a politician and brag about if you’re trying to get re-elected.”

Flaherty noted he never imagined enjoying the job as much as he has, and says it’s been an amazing experience.

As for what the future holds, he hopes to inspire others to take on the role.

“I hope that some people might take a look at what I did the last few years and say, ‘You know what, I’m going to do and do my civic duty’ and throw their name in the ring to come in – for no ambition to become the governor or anything like that, but to come in and do what’s best for the community. This community deserves to have that kind of leadership, and I just hope that some people – somebody or somebodies – over the years will continue to do that for the community.