October 14, 2011 (Mayfield, KY) At the Kentucky League of Cities Convention last week in Lexington, Kentucky, Mayor Teresa Cantrell was elected to the Board of Directors as a representative from this region.  Cantrell commented, “I was contacted several months ago about the nomination and I asked a lot of questions at that time.  J.D. Chaney assured me that the time investment, as well as travel, would be minimal, so I agreed to the nomination.”  

The KLC Board of Directors works to set the agenda for the organization’s legislative priorities, and that the work is done primarily through conference calls.  Any required meetings are scheduled around the organization’s agenda of training workshops and conferences that would already be attended by city officials, not requiring additional travel. 

Mayor Cantrell added that she is “excited about the opportunity to expand her horizons, and work more specifically on legislation that will directly affect cities like Mayfield across the Commonwealth.”

Other area officials elected to KLC positions include Paducah Mayor Bill Paxton III, President.  Paxton commented, “I am so pleased that through the hard work of the Board of Directors over the past two years, we have brought KLC back to where our membership can be proud,” said Paxton.   “This has been achieved through the hiring of Jon Steiner as Executive Director/CEO and by increasing the organization’s transparency.  Our membership can take pride in the fact that the attendance at this year’s conference was up 64 percent as compared to last year’s numbers.”

Mayors Paxton, Barto (Lyndon) and Bozarth (Midway)were instrumental in big changes at the League including the hiring of Executive Director/CEO Jon Steiner who started at the League on November 1, 2010.  In the last year, KLC has streamlined operational processes and continued to increase transparency by posting all expenditures and financial audits, policies, budgets and meeting information online.  KLC came in under budget during its last fiscal year and budgeted less for ongoing operational costs for 2011-2012 including lower salary costs, all while increasing services to members.   

A full Board of Directors roster is listed below.

2011-2012 KLC Executive Board

President                                 Mayor Bill Paxton (Paducah)                                     

First Vice President                 Mayor Susan Barto (Lyndon)                                                 

Second Vice President            Mayor Tom Bozarth (Midway)                                                         

KLC Executive Director/CEO   Mr. Jon Steiner

City Clerk Debbie Batliner (Simpsonville)                             
City Manager Donovan Blackburn (Pikeville)           
Mayor Ed Burtner (Winchester)        
Mayor George Cheatham (Greensburg)                                           

Mayor Gale Cherry (Princeton)                                             

Mayor James Craft (Whitesburg)                  
Councilmember Ann Deatherage (Carrollton)                                              

Mayor Tom Hardesty (Shelbyville)                                                      

Mayor Roddy Harrison (Williamsburg)                                                                                 

Mayor Dan Kemp (Hopkinsville)        
Mayor Paul Meier (Crestview Hills)              
Mayor Teddy Preston (Louisa)                                                           

Mayor Bill Sheckles (Bardstown)