The Mentelle Neighborhood Association’s annual meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. at Ashland Elementary School. Association members will elect officers and board members for the coming year.
This is a good time to express your concerns and offer your ideas for social events and ways to improve our neighborhood.
Based on volunteers, the nominating committee has proposed a slate of officers and board members. More information about each candidate is given below. Nominations also may be made from the floor during the meeting. Also note: many association activists are not board members, and any member is welcome to attend monthly board meetings, which are the third Wednesday of each month, except July and December, at Local’s Craft Food & Drink, 701 National Ave.
Only association members are eligible to vote and run for an office or board seat. If you live or own a business in the neighborhood (bounded by Mentelle Park and Walton Avenue, Main Street and National Avenue) and are not a member of the association, but would like to become one, click here for more information.
Nominating committee’s proposed slate
For President: Ann Olliges has lived in the neighborhood since 1996. She joined the board in 2014 and has been president since 2016. “I like to serve on the board to help us continue to grow in a responsible and sustainable way,” she says. “My interest for 2020 would be addressing the traffic issues we are experiencing.”
For Vice President: Linda Worley moved to 800 Aurora Avenue (the Poetry Box house) with her husband Jeff and two cats five years ago. She is set to retire from UK in a few months after 33 years (!) of loving being a faculty member in German Studies and Folklore/Myth. She is set to start all sorts of new endeavors.
For Secretary: Tom Eblen has lived at 52 Mentelle Park with his wife, Becky, since February 2012. He retired in March from the Lexington Herald-Leader, where he was the managing editor for 10 years and a columnist for 11 years. Tom now works part-time as literary arts liaison at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. An MNA board member since 2014, he created and administers the association’s website, Mentelle.org.
For Treasurer: Todd Davis moved to Lexington in 2007 after graduating from Centre College, where he met his wife, Catherine, a lifelong Lexingtonian. After more than a decade in banking, he has spent the past two years as a Realtor with The Brokerage. Todd and Catherine moved to Aurora Avenue in January 2019 and have fallen in love with the neighborhood. In his free time, you can find him playing golf, having a beer at Mirror Twin, or sitting on the front porch with his golden retriever, Scout.
For the five board seats:
Will Jones and his wife, Mary Catherine, recently moved to Franklin Avenue and have a newborn. Will works for Bullhorn Creative and is on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass.
Jamie Lucke moved into 914 Aurora Avenue in early 1994, just in time for the arrival of her daughter, Hollis Hubbard. She retired in March from the Lexington Herald-Leader where she was a reporter, editorial writer and editor for almost 32 years. You may have seen her and her partner Robert Pokorny walking his two oversized dogs and her tiny one.
Kim Naujokas has lived on Mentelle Park with her husband for more than three years. She is the Special Assistant to the Dean at Transylvania University, where she works on administrative matters related to Academic Affairs. She is a fan of great food, friendly dogs, and hanging out on the porch with wonderful neighbors.
Shelby Reynolds has lived on Aurora for 32 years and owns Morningside Woodcrafters, which has been on National Avenue for 30 years. Married to David Bartley, he spends most of his time on their never-ending list of projects around the house and garden. Shelby has been a board member for five years and enjoys being a part of the group to help make the neighborhood a safe and comfortable place to live.
Ashley Sipple-McGraw is a lifelong Lexingtonian and has lived in the Mentelle neighborhood for 10 years. Ashley is a librarian, and previously worked at the Lexington Public Library. She is now the Middle and Upper School Librarian at Sayre School in downtown Lexington. She is an avid reader, pop culture expert and enjoys spending time with her neighbors.