New York Times public editor Clark Hoyt, whose job it was to question the Grey Lady’s judgment and hold the paper accountable to its own standards, ended his run as gadfly-in-chief with a farewell column this weekend.

Hoyt departs because his term as public editor, as stipulated by his contract with the Times, has expired. “It really is time to go,” he says in the column.

Overall, Hoyt makes it sound as though he had a pretty nice time, despite the rare suicide threat or irate reader who believed he must have made a deal with the devil. He praises former public editors Daniel Okrent and Byron Calame for paving the way for his role in what he views as a serious and important job. He has kind words for executive editor Bill Keller, who he says showed equanamity even during their most heated disputes.

“A new public editor, also from outside, will be named soon,” wrote Hoyt.