It's the same old hot seat but a new office and a new view for Napier Mayor Bill Dalton who has been among the last to vacate the 50-year-old council building which has been condemned as an earthquake risk.
But for the strategy and logistics of shifting 230 administrative staff to three temporary homes, he and council chief executive Wayne Jack would, like the caption of a sinking ship, have been last to get out.
Their move from the old four-storey building on Hastings St, between Station St and the Napier Courthouse, took place on Thursday. It was a week ahead of the shift to a Hastings St frontage of Dunvegan House of the customer services near completing the relocation, but perhaps the most important for those still seeing the front counter as the way to get to the council.
It's where people can pay their rates and parking fines.
Not displeased with the view from the previous office, Mr Dalton has found one even better, including not only the vista towards Cape Kidnappers but also overlooking the Marine Parade redevelopment and the new Marine Parade-Vautier St roundabout, both parts of the removal of heavy trucks from Marine Parade, the focus of many other views over the years.