Asked when he made that decision, he replied he had not, in a sense, considered the matter.
''But I have taken each election as it has come and feel if people wish to re-elect me, it is appropriate I should give them the opportunity,'' he said.
Mr Familton was the Waihemo ward councillor in 2007, when he, along with two others, challenged incumbent Alan McLay for the mayoralty, Mr Familton won.
He stood again in 2010, when he was challenged by Oamaru ward councillor and then deputy mayor Gary Kircher and two others.
Mr Familton retained the mayoralty, Mr Kircher being the second-highest polling candidate.
Yesterday, Mr Kircher said he had had ''a steady stream'' of people, with concerns similar to his, asking if he would stand. After nine years as a councillor for the Oamaru ward, he decided, in the last election, to go for ''all or nothing'' and stand for the mayoralty, but not re-election as an Oamaru councillor.
Over the past three years, he had focused on his family, business and the community, which had kept him busy.
Any decisions on re-entering local body politics would be made closer to nominations opening, Mr Kircher said.
Bruce Cawley, who has contested the mayoralty the past four times, is undecided as to whether he will try for fifth time.
Over the course of the first three attempts, he increased his votes each time, but in the last election he plummeted in the polls.
