The Mayor is the chief elected official of the City and as such is the City’s executive authority. The Mayor sets the agendas for and acts as the presiding officer at all City Council meetings. She participates in Council proceedings but does not have a vote, except that she may cast the deciding vote in case of a tie. She makes recommendations for actions by the Council that she perceives to be in the public interest. The Mayor is authorized to sign legal documents on behalf of the City and to enforce city ordinances and orders. In her absence, her duties are performed by the Mayor Pro-tem.

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Linda Chesser has been a resident of the City of Watterson Park since 1979. She began serving on the City Council in 1990 and has been the Mayor since December 2015. Linda also serves on the Jefferson County League of Cities Board of Directors and represents Watterson Park on the LMPD Sixth Division Citizens Advisory Board and District 10’s Advisory Board. She has received Levels I, II, and III in City Governance training. Level III requires a city official to attend 90 hours of approved training with three hours of ethics training. The City Officials Training Center is a voluntary education program administered by the Kentucky League of Cities. Linda grew up in Germantown, graduated from Mercy Academy, and is a member of St. Raphael Catholic Church. She retired from GE, where she worked as an Executive Assistant. Linda and her husband, Marvin, have four children and five grandchildren.

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Duties & Powers of the Mayor:

• Presides at City Council meetings
• Serves as City’s representative for ceremonial purposes
• May break a tie vote on a motion
• May call special meetings of the City Council when he deems such meetings necessary
• Signs ordinances, resolutions and municipal orders passed by the Council
• Sign contracts on behalf of the City
  

The City Council is the City’s elected legislative body. It establishes policies, adopts budgets, sets compensation, determines tax rates, and enacts ordinances and resolutions to govern the City. As the policy-making body for Watterson Park, the City Council is the final authority on most matters relating to the city.

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Jay Bourke was born and raised in what is now Watterson Park and moved back in 2015. He is a lifelong member of Holy Family Catholic Church and graduated from St. Xavier High School. Jay has been the owner and operator of PIP Printing, Marketing and Signs for more than 30 years. He and his wife, Jackie, have three children and four grandchildren

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Becky Ewan was born and raised in Louisville. She is a long-time member of Holy Family Catholic Church. She has been a resident of Watterson Park for 20 years. Becky is an avid fan of NCAA men’s basketball, has no favorite team, and enjoys the sport and watching all the teams play. She is happiest when spending time with her daughter and grandkids.

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Steve Fortwengler has lived in Watterson Park since 1987. He has two children: Kaitlin and Lucas. Steve retired from Ford Motor Company in 2007. He enjoys hunting and is involved with Boy Scouts of America.

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Gina Garrett was born and raised in Louisville’s South End. She attended Mill Creek Elementary School and graduated from Doss High School in 1977. Gina worked with Private Practice Physicians for 19 years and is currently employed with Seven Counties Services, where she has been an Office Coordinator in the Adult Mental Health Division since 1997. In the past, she served on the Goals for Greater Louisville Committee. Gina has a daughter, Ginny, and three granddaughters. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, fishing, boating, and camping.

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Born and raised in Louisville, Todd O'Bryan has lived in Watterson Park for 20 years and is the third generation in his home. Todd is married with no kids, except for his dog. He is self-employed, owning a lawn care business, and is co-owner of Jocks Sports Bar and Grill. Prior to becoming self-employed, Todd worked for AT&T for 16 years. He and his wife enjoy traveling. When not traveling abroad, they spend their time at the lake. 

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Marlene Welsh was born in Louisville and has lived here her entire life. She graduated from Sacred Heart Academy and is a member of St. Raphael Catholic Church. Marlene was a mortgage originator for fifty years and has been retired since 2006. She has one son, four grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

 

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Duties & Powers of the Council:

• Establishes general policies for the city
• Appoints the City Treasurer, City Clerk, City Attorney, and members of various boards and commissions
• Enacts ordinances, resolutions, and municipal orders
• Adopts the annual budget
• Levies taxes and collects revenues
• Authorizes contracts on the City’s behalf

Clerk

The City Clerk serves as the official custodian of the City’s records and is charged with the recording and management of documents relating to the official actions of the City of Watterson Park, including minutes, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and deeds.

Aggie Keefe has been the City Clerk since 1981. She is the editor and designer of your City newsletter as well as designer and webmaster of this website. From 1993 to 2019, she was the Managing Editor of Audience: Program Guide for the Performing Arts. Aggie’s hobbies include crafts, gardening, and winemaking. She and her husband, Dennis, have four children and ten grandchildren.

 

Duties & Responsibilities of the Clerk:

• Prepares minutes of each City Council meeting
• Maintains and guards the permanent records of the City
• Serves as editor and designer of the City newsletter
• Serves as designer and webmaster of the City’s official website

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Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for ensuring sound fiscal policies related to the use of City resources. She maintains custody of municipal funds and possesses responsibility for the deposit, investment, and disbursement of these monies. The Treasurer is responsible for determining the City’s cash needs to pay current obligations and to invest money that is not required to be kept liquid.

Jean Hall was appointed as Treasurer of Watterson Park in April 2023. She graduated from Assumption High School and earned her BSBA from the University of Louisville with a major in accounting. Jean retired from Humana in 2021, after various accounting/finance positions at AEGON and Brown & Williamson. Jean has been married to Ed since 1982. They have two sons — Michael (“forever 27”) and Danny — and two grandsons. Her hobbies include boating, kayaking, pickleball, supporting UofL athletics, and spoiling grandsons.

Duties & Responsibilities of the Treasurer:

• Collection and deposit of revenues
• Accounts payable functions
• Budget forecasting
• Cash management duties
• Interim financial statement preparation for the City

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City Attorneys

The City Attorney is appointed by the City Council and provides legal counsel and representation to the Council and Officers in matters relating to their official powers and duties. The City Attorney does not provide legal advice about personal or private matters of citizens.

A member in the Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC Louisville office, John Treitz has served as legal counsel for the City of Watterson Park since its inception in 1981. He is a member of the Business Entities and Transactions Practice Group, the Corporate Finance and Lending Practice Group, and the Real Estate Finance and Development Practice Group. Mr. Treitz’s practice focuses on complex finance transactions and commercial and residential real estate development and municipal corporation representation. He advises on the organization of businesses as general and limited partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies; and advises directors, officers, and shareholders of corporations regarding their respective rights and duties under various corporate laws. Mr. Treitz is a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School.

Duncan Crosby is an attorney in the Louisville office of Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC and has assisted as legal counsel for the City of Watterson Park since 2021. He is a member of the firm’s Utility & Energy and Trusts & Estates practice groups. Mr. Crosby has extensive experience representing utility clients before the Kentucky Public Service Commission. In his trusts and estates practice, he works with businesses and families throughout every phase of planning. Mr. Crosby is a graduate of Yale University (B.A.) and Harvard Law School (J.D.).

Duties & Responsibilities of the City Attorney:

• Represents the City of Watterson Park on all legal matters
• Drafts resolutions and ordinances for the consideration of the City Council
• Drafts and reviews contracts relating to city business
• Performs legal research
• Issues opinions on zoning, procurement, and other city-related activities
• Handles some matters of litigation, risk management, and real estate transactions