Meet Carol Pike New Jeffersontown Mayor
Photography Provided
Carol Pike made history when she was elected Jeffersontown’s first female mayor. She garnered the votes of a majority of local residents who felt her passion for Jeffersontown made her the best person for the job. Pike remains humble about her success, and says “anything is possible.” Her own experience proves that.
Pike, now 70, grew up in Maysville, Kentucky, where she lived with her sister, her father, who owned a radiator shop, and her mother, a beautician. When she was 11 years old the family relocated to Jeffersontown, where they established their new home. Pike had a difficult childhood, which she will never forget, but it gave her the drive and determination to set goals and achieve them in her adult life.
After graduating from Jeffersontown High School, Pike got married, then attended real estate school. She began her career selling houses in 1977, and became one of Louisville’s top realtors. Thanks to her community involvement and loyalty from her clients throughout the years, Pike was able to form her own company, At Home Louisville, four years ago. She is a Safe Place volunteer and also works with animal rescue services, in addition to her many duties connected with serving on the City Council.
Pike credits Daniel Ruckriegel for encouraging her to run for Jeffersontown’s City Council. She was elected in 1982 and has served ever since – a whopping 19 terms.
During her time on the City Council, Pike has chaired a variety of programs including the Safety Committee, Parks & Recreation, and the Fire Department board. A fervent animal lover, she also served on the board of Blackacre State Nature Preserve and Historic Homestead. She has been an active member on each committee, so people in the community have gotten to know her well. At City Council meetings she has always been a vocal advocate for the residents of the town, taking their concerns seriously and insisting that their needs be met, while at the same time striving to ensure that business development in Jeffersontown continues as smoothly as possible, so the City of Jeffersontown can prosper for everyone involved.
Pike prayed hard about whether or not she should run for mayor. Ultimately she chose to run, because she loves the town and its citizens so much that she did not want to see it take a step backwards once Bill Dieruf, who served for 12 years, vacated office. “He’s done a fantastic job and I wanted to carry on his work,” Pike says. “I knew my opponent was not interested in continuing all of the programs we currently offer our citizens, so I said, ‘God, give me a sign if you want me to run,’ and one morning I woke up with a feeling of clarity. I jumped in line and started a campaign.”
Pike’s long-term goals as mayor are threefold – obtain, maintain and retain a variety of items for the city. She would like to obtain new businesses, maintain the pride residents have in the city, which is an excellent place to live work and play, and retain the current businesses and infrastructures that provide access to the many services appreciated by citizens.
Pike is excited to have experienced staff in all departments of the city, and looks forward to working with them and utilizing their expertise as she begins the next four years. Her primary focus is to have a strong economic development department. “I’ve sold real estate all my life, so I know what it takes to sell something,” Pike says. “This city is not hard to sell.”
First and foremost, she plans to keep her eye on the industrial park, as it allows the citizens of Jeffersontown to have all the services they enjoy at a very low tax rate. “Our citizens are taxed at less than 14 cents per $100, whereas Louisville city tax is 46 cents per $100,” Pike says. “For that amount, you get your police protection, your roads cleared, your garbage and recyclables picked up, and the services go on and on.”
Secondly, Pike wants to energize and renovate the downtown area. Plans are underway to build an amphitheater, which will bring revenue to the downtown businesses. Walking paths will connect downtown Jeffersontown with the amphitheater, which is scheduled to open in September. Pike would also like to revitalize downtown Jeffersontown with a trolley hop once a month, to assist in getting people downtown to support the businesses.
Pike has had more than four decades of experience dealing with every aspect of Jeffersontown, and residents could not ask for a more engaged representative. She is eager to become Jeffersontown’s first female mayor. “It’s surreal to be honest, but so exciting,” she says. “Not only to achieve the title as mayor, but being the first female mayor, is something I’m so proud of. With the help of my family and supporters, we achieved this goal together. I have the opportunity to lead my hometown, the place that I love.”
Pike’s genuine passion for the town is obvious in the way she lights up when discussing it. To her, Jeffersontown is more than simply a place. It represents a spirit, a sense of pride and a hometown feeling.
Pike graciously appreciates the support of the community, and she would like everyone to remember that anything is possible when you set your mind to it and have a dream.
