The Mentelle Neighborhood Association will have its annual membership meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, at the Children’s Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass, 162 N. Ashland Ave. The meeting room entrance is behind the center’s main building.
You must wear a face mask inside the building. As a courtesy to your neighbors, we also ask that you do not attend if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 or are feeling ill.
This meeting is your opportunity to learn more about what is happening in our neighborhood and offer your ideas for improvements and social events for the upcoming year.
Association members also will elect officers. The board’s nominating committee has submitted the slate of candidates below following an open solicitation to members. Other candidates may be written in on the ballot or nominated from the floor. Association members who are unable to attend the meeting may download an absentee ballot here, fill it out, scan it and email it to secretary Tom Eblen by noon on Oct. 27.
Here is the 2021 slate of candidates and a little information about them. (* denotes currently serving on the board.):
For President:
Ann Olliges * has been president of the association since 2017. She moved to the neighborhood in 1996 and for several years helped coordinate the “Aurora Fest” street party. As president, she has helped negotiate rezoning issues with the city, neighbors and developers. She would like to help protect the integrity of the community for future generations.
For Vice President:
Jamie Lucke * has lived at 914 Aurora Avenue for 27 years. In her two years on the board, she has worked with neighbors on zoning issues and helped organize a neighborhood tree walk and last year’s winter decorating prizes.
For Secretary:
Tom Eblen * and his wife, Becky, have lived on Mentelle Park since 2012. The secretary since 2016, he created and manages the neighborhood’s website, which includes news updates delivered by email and a neighborhood history page. Tom, a journalist and photographer, enjoys living in the neighborhood because it is walkable, mixed-use and filled with friendly, interesting people and an increasing number of adorable children.
For Treasurer:
Barbara Wagner is a small business owner and serial entrepreneur with three successful exits. She resided in Lexington for 12 years, got married and moved away for 12 years, and has been back in Lexington for seven happy years. She thoroughly enjoys the friendly atmosphere and mix of ages in our neighborhood.
For the Board:
Esther Hurlburt * has lived in the neighborhood since 1980. She credits the neighborhood association for many of the positive changes we have seen in the past several years. She enjoys working as a team to coordinate neighborhood activities and to advocate for necessary changes within our neighborhood.
Will Jones * and his wife, Mary Catherine, moved to the neighborhood in June 2019. You might see them on walks around the neighborhood with their son, Red, daughter, Miller, and dog, Callie. He is a partner at the Lexington-based brand design firm Bullhorn Creative. As a board member, his focus is on neighborhood camaraderie, helping create events such as Porch Songs.
Shelby Reynolds * is in his sixth year as a board member. He has lived at 710 Aurora for 34 wonderful years, 26 of them with husband David Bartley. He is co-owner of Morningside Woodcrafters on National Avenue.
Beth Hellebusch is a Lexington Native who spent her formative years in the Fairway and Kenwick neighborhoods. She and her partner, Dean Langdon, moved to Mentelle neighborhood in 2017. Beth is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works for Healthfirst Bluegrass in the LTMS Healthy Kids Clinic. She serves as the treasurer on the board of the Kentucky Society for Clinical Social Workers. Beth spends most of her free time socializing with her pandemic pup, Zelda.
Laura Beth O’Bryan is a Lexington native who moved back to the Bluegrass two years ago with her husband Brendan after several years in Chicago. They have two young kids — Gabe (3.5) and Lily (8 months) — and two dogs who take many walks around the neighborhood. Laura Beth is the Director of Stewardship for UK HealthCare, and Brendan is a civil engineer at Stantec. They love this neighborhood and its community, history, open-mindedness and walkability.
Tentative agenda for the meeting:
Introductions
Secretary Tom Eblen — Election process
Treasurer Todd Davis — Treasurer’s report and membership
President Ann Olliges — Traffic Survey
Remarks by Warehouse Block President Chad Walker
Director Shelby Reynolds — Social activities for 2021.
Vice President Jamie Lucke — Goals for 2022
