The beginning of 2019 marks the start of a new administration for Maysville and the first time in two decades that David Cartmell will not be at the wheel.
Today, Charles Cotterill will take the oath of office as Maysville’s mayor, the city’s chief elected officer, following the results of November’s election.
For Cartmell, it is a time to reflect on progress the city has made under his leadership and to ponder what the future might hold for the long-time public servant.
Cartmell said he walks away with no regrets and the confidence that he leaves the city with a bright future.
He cites the rebirth of the downtown area during his tenure as one of his proudest accomplishments. Festivals, races and other events have lured visitors here and the livability of the area has drawn them back, he said.
“We have it all right now,” Cartmell said, pointing out that Maysville is often used as an example by state officials on how to revitalize an area and attract jobs.
Cartmell has made it a priority during his time in office to nurture connections with state and even federal officials, traveling to Frankfort almost daily when the General Assembly is in session and at times taking Maysville’s message to Washington.
“I do take a certain pride in that,” he said. “It’s our rapport with Frankfort that’s really made us what we are today.”
Being mayor seemed like an inevitability to Cartmell, who followed his grandmother’s and mother’s footsteps into the office. Along the way, he made his own pathway, guiding the city through several large projects that changed the landscape for residents of Maysville including expansion of the Fleming-Mason Airport, construction of the Kenton Commonwealth Center, placement of underground utilities, renovation of the old Montgomery Ward Building into the Maysville Conference Center, the start of combined sewer overflow project, improvements and upgrades to the floodwall, improvements and upgrades to the water system and wastewater treatment, upgrades to Maple Leaf Road and the construction of Martha Comer Drive.
Expansion of Comprehend Inc.’s footprint in Maysville is another project near and dear to Cartmell’s heart as his mother, the late Mayor Harriett Cartmell was a driving force behind establishing mental heath care in the area. The building will be named the Harriett Hord Cartmell Medical Building and will be a three-story, 25,303-square-foot addition. It is currently under construction in Maysville’s East End.
Industrial development undertaken during his administration included Ripley Corporation, JT Thorpe, Superior Windings, Maysville Manufacturing, MACA Plastics, JBR Industrial Associates, Enviroflight, and most recently PPI and plans for more than $260 million in upgrades at East Kentucky Power’s Maysville facility.
The investment in the community totaling billions of dollars is among the most satisfying memories he’ll take with him, Cartmell said.
Projects designed to improve the quality of life in Maysville have also been on the agenda under Cartmell’s tutelage ranging from the purchase of the Harriet Beecher Stowe Museum to saving the Cox Building from certain destruction following a devastating fire during rehabilitation. Necklace lighting on the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge, the opening of the Danny Hay Skate Park, the addition of AmVets Park, West Second Street sidewalks and depot renovations, renovation of the floodwall murals and expansion of the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center also took place during Cartmell’s administration.
Along the way, Maysville was recognized numerous times by various organizations including being named a two-time winner of the Governor’s Cup Award for Top Micropolitan City, receiving the Kentucky Main Street Beautification Award, Leadership in Energy Management Award, Great River Cup Award from Site Selection Magazine, KLC Enterprise Cities Award, Governor’s Cup Award for Arts, and named fourth Best Small Town and second Cutest Small Town in America by Oyster.com.
“Maysville is really on the map,” the mayor said.
Over his 20 years as mayor, Cartmell is proud to say he never missed a single regular meeting, not even after he underwent heart bypass surgery. At a clip of one per month over two decades, that’s a total of 240 meetings, not counting special meetings.
There were also some rough spots such as the loss of Browning/Emerson/Regal Beloit and the closure of DPandL’s power plants across the river in Ohio. But the city persevered through those hard times, Cartmell said.
“We are resilient,” he said.
Despite his accomplishments, Cartmell said he is more pleased with the city’s progress.
“It’s the success of the town that really excites me,” he said.
Cartmell does leave with some concerns about the future, including the opioid crisis that the city and every other municipality and county in the commonwealth is faceing. Dealing with desperate people who are willing to steal to support their habit has made the job of city police more difficult, Cartmell said. He believes legislation he helped enact to regulate resales will address that issue, he said.
Cartmell said he was gratified by the number of people who attended a reception held in his honor earlier this month.
“I guess the people have decided I did alright,” he said.
What the future may hold, Cartmell said he is not certain. He has had several offers to serve on boards and commissions. And he will remain an advocate for Maysville, both here and in Frankfort, he said.
Will he run for office again? His name is very likely to appear on a ballot at some point, he said, although he did not elaborate on what office he might seek.
“I’ll run for something…,” Cartmell said.
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