Pictured, from left, are Emily Niehaus, former Village of Williamsburg Mayor Mary Ann Lefker, and Senior Administrative Assistant to Commissioner Bonnie Batchler, Jennifer Haley. Photo provided.
Pictured, from left, are former Ohio House Speaker Tom Niehaus, former Village of Williamsburg Mayor Mary Ann Lefker, and Clermont County Commissioner Dave Painter. Photo provided.
The village of Williamsburg recently held an open house party to celebrate former longtime Village Mayor Mary Ann Lefker’s retirement.
The event was held Dec. 27, 2023, at village hall.
Lefker joined the village council in 1994 and was elected mayor in 2000, explained Williamsburg Village Administrator Andrew Gephardt. Lefker has served as mayor since time; she did not run for re-election in 2023.
As village administrator, Gephardt worked with Lefker for two years.
“Mary Ann was a mentor to me and certainly played a crucial role in my personal and professional development, providing guidance, support, and valuable insights,” Gephardt said. “Her many years of experience helped me tackle the job, figure out how things work, and gave me the proper folks to ask for help.”
Gephardt explained the impact of Lefker’s years of service.
“I think there are many things that are significant with a long-term mayor including providing stability to the local government. Consistency in leadership can lead to more predictable and stable policies, fostering a sense of continuity for residents and businesses and that was certainly the case over her many years,” he said. “In addition, I think her institutional knowledge was significant as she knew so much about Williamsburg’s history and its need. Mary Ann had many relationships she fostered over the years as well including many community members, local organizations, county and state officials.”
He added, “I think she developed strong leadership skills over the years too, and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the community. This led to more effective leadership and decision-making in my opinion for the village.”
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