Civic Assembly has been a ‘truly inspiring’ experience for this lifelong Lexingtonian

It is my pleasure to be part of this history-making assembly and to share my perspective as a Lexingtonian participating in this unique process. Our mission was to make a fair assessment and recommendation for CivicLex regarding city government compensation for councilmembers, and to clarify the frequency and process for city charter review.

I entered the process with no assumptions and an open mind. I am a lifelong Lexingtonian with 23 years of public service. I brought these experiences to conversations, and I arrived ready to learn from others with hope of making a positive impact. Watching this assembly unfold and seeing the development of new ideas and insights about our city government and charter has been truly inspiring. 

When I first joined, I felt some fear. I entered the process not knowing who we would be working with and I was unfamiliar with the CivicLex team. However, the program quickly put me at ease by communicating every detail of the schedule and expectations. 

One of the first experiences in the assembly was sharing what we loved about Lexington. I shared that I was born in Lexington and have lived here my entire life. Lexington is a wonderful place to raise a family. I also shared that myself and my children have benefited from the many educational opportunities here, from elementary school through graduate school. I learned many things including that the offices of the mayor and councilmembers are nonpartisan. I also learned about the organizational structure of the Urban County Government. Finally, I learned about the process for selecting and the powers of the vice mayor.  

One of the highlights of the program was meeting with councilmembers who shared their experiences as civil servants. I learned that councilmembers serve in part-time positions, yet they carry full-time responsibilities. While there are benefits to serving, there are also significant challenges to balancing council service with family and other work obligations. Hearing firsthand about their dedication and passion to serve was truly impressive.

As I reflect on my experience, I am here to celebrate the assembly through my eyes. I had the pleasure of interacting with people from across the community, gathering their thoughts, perspectives, and ideas on council compensation and the frequency of city charter review.

I still remember my first day vividly, the mix of excitement and fear. It has been an amazing journey, seeing how far we have come together, all motivated by the goal of achieving an excellent outcome for our city government.