NORTH NORWICH – It’s his time to move on. After 18 years in public office, Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard B. Decker is calling it quits.

“I’ve been in public life for so long, it’s my time to move on,” said the Town of North Norwich Republican late Monday.

The decision was a difficult one to make, but it’s one he made by himself, “the way it should be,” he said.

During Decker’s tenure, Chenango County government took on challenges from the potential siting of a low-level radioactive facility to the more recent high voltage tower system. It weathered skyrocketing hikes in Medicaid costs and employee pension, health care and social security benefits.

With departmental cost-cutting and the application of surplus, tax levy increases have remained at less than 1 percent over the past five years under his helm. And after borrowing for large capital projects through the years, such as the Chenango County Public Safety Facility and the Pharsalia Landfill, the county is on track to be debt free in 2012.

Through it all, Decker said he could count on the standing committee system, fellow supervisors and department directors to make the right decisions for taxpayers. He said he’s leaving “a few things undone,” but instead of being more specific, pointed out that he never accomplished anything alone.

“I’ve always said, there isn’t any one person that can make anything happen. It takes a board to cooperatively act,” he said.

“I’m still naive enough to believe that an individual can set direction, yes, but I truly believe in a board of supervisors is the right way for county governments to operate.”