Washington Township has a new deputy administrator on board,
Jesse Lightle, who most recently served as assistant city manager
for the City of Clayton. Washington Township has a new deputy administrator on board,
Jesse Lightle, who most recently served as assistant city manager
for the City of Clayton.
In her position with the township, Lightle’s primary focus is the fire department and recreation center, with other significant responsibilities to be added over time. Lightle could potentially succeed Township Administrator Gary Huff who has announced he will retire in early 2008.
“Jesse has a good general background in management of departments,” said Huff, pointing to her experience in human resources, capital improvement projects, economic development, budget preparation, property maintenance programs and facilities management. She was appointed in June by township trustees and begins her duties July 31.
Much of Lightle’s experience occurred in the Centerville/Washington Township community where from 2000 to 2005 she served as assistant to the city manager for the City of Centerville. Besides managing the renovation of the city’s municipal building, she supervised operations at both Benham’s Grove and The Golf Club at Yankee Trace.
“We are glad to welcome Jesse back to our community,” said Joyce Young, president of the Washington Township Board of Trustees. “She has worked diligently in the past for Centerville/Washington Township and is aware of our government, our services, and the direction in which we are heading.”
Lightle is familiar with the community in another important way – from the vantage point of a resident. “I’m excited to come back to work in the community where I’ve lived for the last five years. I’m looking forward to working with the elected officials, the staff and the community.” Lightle added: “Washington Township is one of the premiere places to work in the state because of its services and the quality of life it provides. I hope that I can assist in continuing that tradition.”
As assistant city manager of Clayton since 2005, Lightle was involved in a variety of areas, from budget preparation to human resources, economic development and communications. But it was Springfield, Ohio where she got her first taste of local government as a young person.
Her father, Frank Lightle, was active in community politics there for many years and served as a Springfield city commissioner from 1990 to the time of his death in 1992. “Literally, every day after school my father picked me up and we went to his city commission office,” she recalls. “I was raised in local government, so I always knew I wanted to be in local government. It’s in my blood.”
Lightle also has worked for the Center for Urban and Public Affairs at Wright State University. She is an adjunct professor at Wright State in the Master of Public Administration Program, is vice-chair of the Public Administration/Center for Urban and Public Affairs Advisory Board, and serves on the board of the Ohio City/County Managers Association.