clarke
Spurred by his experiences with the Harrods Hill Neighborhood Associ-ation and directing the University of Kentucky School of Music, Harry Clarke was elected as the representative for the 10th District in the LFUCG Urban County Council in November and assumed his seat in early January.
Councilmember Clarke answered a few questions for us about his plans and goals for his district and Lexington.
What prompted you to run for the 10th District council seat?
Public service and elected office have been an interest of mine for a long time, but full-time work at UK made that farfetched, at best. My recent retirement provided the opportunity to offer my full-time service to Lexington and to the 10th District.
The more I have learned about the responsibilities of a councilmember and the opportunities for involvement in our great city, the more appealing the idea became. My interest was also piqued by a very positive experience serving as the president of the Harrods Hill Neighborhood Association.
What experiences have you had – professionally, civically, socially – that have prepared you to be an effective leader for this district?
10thMap
Click here for a map of the 10th District
As director of the School of Music at UK for 14 years, I administered a personnel, scholarship and operating budget of over $2 million and a faculty and staff of some 60 professionals in the administrative, performance and academic areas. During my entire tenure at UK I was frequently dealing with not only students, faculty and parents, but also with the UK Administration; the Athletics Association, its administration and coaches; the Alumni Association; and the Office of Development. I also served for two terms as a member of the University Senate.
My tenure as president of the Kentucky Association of College Music Departments and frequent visits to high schools throughout the state provided a statewide scope of administrative opportunities. My experience as the president of the Harrods Hill Neighborhood Association was also great preparation, as the communication and frequent interaction with people and their government called for prompt and decisive action.
In 2013, what are the most important issues facing the 10th District and how do you plan to respond to them?
The 10th District faces many of the same problems the rest of Lexington faces. There are areas of the district that are still experiencing serious flooding; unfortunately, the solutions to the problems are long range and will come eventually as the EPA mandated Consent Decree process is accomplished. My goal is to strongly advocate for these 10th District water projects and get them done as soon as possible.
As I walked the streets of the district during the campaign, I came across innumerable streets that have not been paved in decades. These less travelled residential streets, whose residents experience unsatisfactory paving and curbing, need to be higher on the priority list. Well-paved roads are important where people live and play. I will work to support higher allocations of repaving funds to address these neglected streets without ignoring the needed maintenance of primary roads.
I am also concerned about the minimal police presence throughout the district. Even though the district has a relatively low crime rate, it is important that coverage is more than just adequate. In addition to supporting a somewhat larger police force, I would also encourage bringing back the home fleet to provide the additional coverage created by having off-duty police vehicles visible throughout the city 24-7.
In the coming year, what are the most important issues facing the city as a whole and how do you plan to respond to them?
There are signs that the Police and Fire Pension Fund Task Force may soon recommend a comprehensive plan to solve the unfunded liability of police and fire pensions. As part of that plan, there will be an effort to change existing state laws that would allow the proposed changes, particularly as they deal with cost of living adjustments and disabilities. I hope to be a strong voice toward those goals.
At the same time it is important that Lexington provides adequate police and fire personnel and ensure that new appointments keep up with or surpass retirements or resignations in both areas. No matter the dispensation of these issues, our police and fire fighters need to be assured that this city and its council is supportive of their work and recognizes their dedication to their chosen career.
The 11-13 year, half-billion-dollar Consent Decree, which mandates a revamping of the entire infrastructure of our sanitary and storm sewers is another major concern. It is the responsibility of the council to assure the residents and taxpayers of Lexington that this implementation be done with the greatest possible efficiency to complete this massive project under time and under budget. As a member of the council, I will keep a watchful eye on this project to influence such a result.
What are the goals you hope to accomplish during your upcoming term?
I am already working with the existing 10th District neighborhood associations to ensure that their community is well served in every way by LFUCG. In addition, and perhaps even more challenging, I will be working with the residents in those areas without neighborhood associations to help them form or reform their organizations. We are also working on the formation of a 10th District Advisory Council – a small, select citizens’ group to assist us in identifying the problems and the opportunities of the district. This group will be important in helping me focus on the things that matter most to our district and its residents.
As part of that representation, we are working to create a comprehensive email list to frequently communicate the more important issues facing the council, to help our residents understand those issues, and show how the council is dealing with them.
Other initiatives include: Bike the 10th, an effort to promote biking for all ages and all fitness levels in the district, and influence projects for expanded bike and walking trails, bike lanes, and special events – all connecting with existing biking organizations throughout Lexington.
Art in the Park, with help from Parks and Recreation and the neighborhood associations, will work toward scheduling music and visual art events in the beautiful but underutilized parks in the district.
Lexington badly needs a large, appealing, well-equipped senior citizens’ center, and the 10th District would be a logical and attractive place for such a facility. I look forward to working with LFUCG and its agencies to identify possible locations on the Southside.