Elsmere city administrator Matt Dowling has been named 2022 City/County Manager of the Year by the Northern Kentucky City County Managers Association.
Dowling, who has served as city administrator since March 2017, was presented the award during the Association’s Tuesday meeting.
“I am extremely honored to receive this award and it means a lot to be recognized by my peers,” Dowling said. “I am very lucky to have had many great mentors over the years such as Frank Warnock, Jeff Earlywine and Jay Fossett just to name a few. All who have provided me with opportunities and great guidance over the years.”
Matt Dowling
The City of Elsmere has a new $6.7 million City Hall located at 3921 Dixie Highway.
Dowling was instrumental in guiding the funding and construction of the new state-of-the-art facility. The new building has numerous amenities that will provide enhancements for the citizens of Elsmere and staff.
The new city building now consolidates city operations into one building to offer an improved customer service experience for Elsmere residents. The facility has a large modern meeting chamber, a large evidence room, armory, full-service locker rooms, and state of the art interview interrogation rooms with advanced recording technology for the police department. A storm safety shelter, new computer and lighting systems, an exercise room, environmentally friendly mechanical fixtures, a sally port, multiple customer service kiosks and citizen friendly access to staff.
The new City Hall sits at the location of previously blighted properties.
An architectural study was conducted prior to construction that highlighted that the city would save money over time by replacing the old City facilities—a former bank, and an older house.
“I want thank Mayor Lenhof and the City Council for their support and assistance in helping me guide the project from beginning to end,” said Dowling. “I think the citizens will be proud of their new City Hall.”
Dowling also helped to facilitate a large industrial park expansion with a value of greater than one hundred million dollars. This will include five new buildings and offer approximately 3,000,000 square feet of new industrial space. This development has created or in the process of creating five to six major employers with hundreds of new jobs in the city.
“We’re trying to take a proactive approach to lay a foundation for the future of Elsmere,” said Dowling.
Dowling also oversaw a comprehensive park expansion project that will replace a former blighted mobile home park and has successfully assisted in obtaining five OKI funded projects that will improve transportation and safety in Elsmere.
He is a past president of Northern Kentucky City/ ounty Managers Association, and a member of the Kentucky City/County Managers Association legislative committee, a former member of the Buenger Boys & Girls Club board of directors and a member of the Fort Thomas Lions Club.
Dowling is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and completed his graduate studies at Michigan State University.
He is married to attorney Lexie Dressman. They live in Fort Thomas with their two children, Adaline and Wallace.
Northern Kentucky City County Managers Association
