Jim Newberry

Jim Newberry (born December 16, 1956) was mayor of Lexington, Kentucky from December 31, 2006, until January 2, 2011.

He defeated incumbent mayor Teresa Isaac by the largest vote margin in the history of Lexington-Fayette's merged "Urban County" government.

This was also the first time in Lexington-Fayette history that a challenger had defeated a sitting mayor.

Newberry was defeated after serving one term by businessman and Vice Mayor Jim Gray.

Once taking office as Mayor, Newberry pursued an active agenda in many areas, including economic development, development of the city's urban core and a number of environmental initiatives.

Jim Newberry grew up in Hiseville, Kentucky, the son of a state legislator and farmer father and a school teacher mother.

Newberry spent his youth working on the family farm.

Newberry received his bachelor's degree with a major in political science from the University of Kentucky in 1978.

During his time as an undergraduate, he served as president of the Student Body and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity.

He then went on to the University of Kentucky College of Law, earning his law degree in 1981.

Upon graduation, Newberry briefly practiced law, and then served as Vice-President and General Manager of Airdrie Stud, a thoroughbred farm in Central Kentucky.

Newberry later served as an executive officer in the Office of Lieutenant Governor Brereton Jones.

He was later appointed to serve as acting secretary of Kentucky's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet.

During his tenure at the cabinet, Newberry successfully mediated a contentious dispute over a pipeline near Lake Cumberland.

In the 1990s, Newberry practiced law in his own practice, later joining Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, a large Lexington firm, where he eventually became partner-in-charge.

Newberry and his wife Cheryl Anne attend Calvary Baptist Church, where Newberry has served as Deacon.

The couple has two sons, Drew Newberry and Kyle Newberry.

In 1998, Newberry ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for United States Representative from the 6th Congressional District of Kentucky.

He placed fifth in a crowded field of 7 candidates, which included future judge Ernesto Scorsone (who won the nomination), future Mayor and Newberry's 2006 Mayoral Election opponent Teresa Isaac, and future Kentucky State Treasurer, Democratic Party Chair, and Gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Miller.

Jim Newberry successfully ran for Mayor of Lexington-Fayette County in 2006.

Newberry ran a change-based campaign, profiting from a contentious political environment that was dissatisfied with the direction of the city.

The paramount issue that year was the question of whether or not the city should condemn and take over the local water company, Kentucky American Water, which was to be decided by popular referendum.

Newberry did not take a position in this issue, promising to support the decision of the voters.

His opponent, Teresa Isaac, openly supported condemnation.

On Election Day in 2006, Lexington voters voted not to condemn the water company, defeating the referendum with 61% of the vote.

Newberry also defeated Isaac, garnering 62.6% of the vote.

This was the first time a challenger had unseated a sitting Mayor seeking reelection in the history of Merged Government in Lexington-Fayette County.

It was also the largest margin of victory in Lexington's history.

Newberry took office as Mayor on December 31, 2006.

As Mayor, he focused on a wide range of initiatives, including projects meant to stimulate the economy, balance the budget, make government more efficient, and protect the environment.

In the area of job-creation, Newberry partnered the city with Commerce Lexington, the University of Kentucky, and Bluegrass Community and Technical College to form the Bluegrass Business Development Partnership, which has thus-far led to the creation of over 2,300 jobs.

He also pursued efforts to make government more transparent and accountable, implementing board training for board-appointees, expanding the Internal Audit Division, and expanding and redesigning the city's website to include access to public meetings, as well as a large number of government documents.

He attempted to make government more efficient by reducing the size of the city's work force by 200 full-time positions.

He has also pursued efforts to cut taxes, slicing the Garbage Tax by 10% and reducing the number of business owners liable for the mandatory license fee.

Additionally, when Newberry first took office, he had an auditing firm hired to assess the efficiency of Urban County Government operations.

The audit identified over 400 ways in which Lexington's government could save taxpayer money, and Newberry's administration worked to utilize this advice.

Newberry also pursued many initiatives to make Lexington environmentally more friendly.

When he first took office, his administration created the city's first executive department dedicated solely to environmental issues, the Department of Environmental Quality.

At the time Newberry took office, the city had been sued by the Environmental Protection Agency for allowing its storm and sanitary sewers to pollute local water sources for decades.

Newberry reached a settlement with the EPA, and set about updating the city's aging infrastructure.