10/06/2026
WHO’S RUNNING FOR MAYOR, AND WHAT DO THEY WANT FOR DOWNTOWN LAWRENCEBURG?
With the upcoming mayoral election, Downtown Lawrenceburg wanted residents and downtown businesses to have an opportunity to hear directly from both candidates about issues that affect our downtown.
We asked each candidate the exact same five questions. Both candidates were given the opportunity to answer in their own words.
Their responses are being presented as submitted, with only minor formatting for readability. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name. Downtown Lawrenceburg is not endorsing either candidate. Our goal is simply to provide information and give each candidate an equal opportunity to share their ideas with the community.
The candidates are:
• Joani Clark
• Steve Votaw
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QUESTION 1:
What is your vision for Downtown Lawrenceburg over the next four years?
JOANI CLARK:
“My vision is to see continued restaurant and business growth come into downtown. I want to maintain our current beautification projects and possibly add more murals and photo opportunity spots.
I want to see Lawrenceburg be competitive with our surrounding counties that have taken advantage of grants for these projects. Fun opportunities attract more people to downtown to support our businesses.
I want Lawrenceburg to be known across the state as a great place to come for a weekend getaway and to see it highlighted as an exciting place to visit, to get the recognition that our city deserves.”
STEVE VOTAW:
“My vision is a downtown that is active, welcoming, and gives people a reason to stay, not simply drive through. I want downtown to remain full of locally owned businesses, restaurants, events, and activities that bring families and visitors downtown throughout the year.
We must plan events regularly, not just a few times a year. Bring back events like Adult Trick or Treat, sidewalk sales, some type of 4th of July event, and more.
We should protect the history and character that make downtown Lawrenceburg special while being willing to embrace new ideas.
Most importantly, I want City Hall to become a partner to the people investing in downtown. When someone wants to open a business, organize an event, or invest in a property, our first question should be, ‘How can we help make this successful?’
A thriving downtown doesn’t happen because government creates it. It happens when government helps create an environment where businesses, organizations, property owners, and entrepreneurs can succeed.
I want to do all I can to see Downtown thrive even in the hard months. If a local book signing is hosted or a business has a special event, the city will support it and help promote it.
There are too many times I have heard the phrase, ‘I wished I had known that an event was going on.’ Our citizens have no idea when things are going on in our town. I want to develop some type of centralized, easy-to-find resource like a phone app and website where events are listed and people are reminded when these events are taking place.
It is time we started using technology to promote what we have going on. If locals don’t know something is going on in town, then you can bet that people in the next city or county have no clue about one of our events.
I also want to revisit having more public parking for tour buses and visitors. We must plan for growth and not just be reactive when it happens.”
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QUESTION 2:
What specific steps would you take to attract more visitors, businesses, and investment to downtown?
JOANI CLARK:
“We have to make sure that we advertise. Placing brochures in rest areas and advertising in the Kentucky Tourism guides that are published by the state.
We have to show people what is available and things to do here in our city and give them a reason to want to visit. Our Chamber of Commerce and Tourism already do an excellent job on social media.
For investors, I as Mayor would spend a great deal of time seeking out opportunities and people with interest to build and start businesses.
I feel you need to reach out and show a willingness to work together and that you are serious about them investing in our community. I would let them know there is a need and it would be worth their investment to come to Lawrenceburg.”
STEVE VOTAW:
“We need to start actively selling Lawrenceburg instead of waiting for people to discover us.
I want a coordinated strategy involving the City, tourism, downtown businesses, property owners, and economic development partners to identify vacant properties and actively market opportunities to potential businesses and investors.
We should examine incentives and grant opportunities that encourage entrepreneurs to renovate buildings and fill vacant storefronts while making the process of opening a business as straightforward as possible.
Events are also economic development. I want Lawrenceburg to be known as a community that welcomes and supports organizations willing to bring people here.
Finally, we need better promotion. Lawrenceburg has an incredible location and two internationally recognized bourbon distilleries. We should be aggressively marketing downtown as part of that visitor experience.
We have thousands that drive around our downtown area every year and we need to make a downtown they will want to visit every time.
I also want to go back to having a booth at the State Fair to promote our town to people all over the tri-state area. People visit the fair’s county booths to plan a weekend or day trip. We are missing out on the chance for them to learn about us and what we have to offer.
I also want to work with touring companies to bring their clients to our downtown area. These touring companies have visitors from all over the world that come to our town to visit our distilleries and they never stop in our wonderful downtown area.
We must sell Lawrenceburg and what we have to offer to all potential visitors any chance we can.”
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QUESTION 3:
How would you support existing downtown shops, restaurants, and small businesses?
JOANI CLARK:
“I would work to support existing businesses by working to get more people into our downtown. Customers are the key to sustaining businesses.
In addition to our Food Truck Fridays, concerts, festivals and car shows, I would like to add some new events to downtown.
I have watched other surrounding areas have some inexpensive, fun events and things to do. For instance, have a business-sponsored scarecrow contest and a possible Christmas Tree contest set up at Century Park for everyone to walk around and vote on, scavenger hunts, just easy-to-do events that would attract visitors.
I would be in touch with all businesses to see what their needs and ideas were. I would want them to have a voice. I would always be available to listen to them with ideas and suggestions.
I have always tried to personally support our businesses.”
STEVE VOTAW:
“Before worrying only about recruiting the next business, we need to make sure we’re listening to the businesses already investing in Lawrenceburg.
As Mayor, I want regular communication with our business owners, not just when there’s a problem. I want to hear what is working, what’s hurting them, and what City Hall can realistically do to help.
I will work to form a group targeted at connecting local government officials and downtown businesses. No ordinance should be passed without knowing how it would affect local business owners.
We can improve promotion of local businesses and events, examine signage, parking and accessibility issues, pursue beautification and improvement opportunities, and make sure city processes aren’t unnecessarily difficult for small businesses.
I also believe City Hall should help connect businesses with available grants, programs and resources.
Small businesses shouldn’t feel like they’re on an island. There are many people in our city that have never stepped one foot in one of our downtown businesses. We need to ask ourselves why and fix that.
When our existing businesses succeed, vacant buildings become easier to fill and additional investment follows.
We must sell what we have to bring visitors here. If that means getting businesses, events, and restaurants seen via social media influencers, content creators, or TV shows, then we will work hard to make these opportunities happen. You do not have to spend millions of dollars to promote our great city if done right.”
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QUESTION 4:
What role should Downtown Lawrenceburg play in Lawrenceburg’s bourbon-country tourism economy, including visitors coming to Wild Turkey and Four Roses?
JOANI CLARK:
“As I have been telling everyone for years, we as a city and county are sitting on a proverbial pot of gold here that we haven’t fully embraced.
We have made great strides the last few years. As many of you know, I have very dear friends in the distillery business, some even own distilleries.
The distilleries attract their own visitors from all over the world without much help. I challenge you to drive through the parking lots and look at the license plates.
I would like to see the downtown merchants continue to welcome these visitors. Maybe have some Anderson County history and information for our visitors.
I know many already do this, but I feel the historical part of the industry is very important. You don’t have to be a consumer of alcohol to enjoy the other parts.
Another possibility would maybe offer a small souvenir or discount with proof of a tour or visit at a local facility. We could print some vouchers to distribute out to the distilleries for visitors to bring into downtown.
A small free gift goes a long way, such as a keychain or small collectible.
The Bourbon Industry brought in over 14 billion dollars to Kentucky last year and I would like to see our city and county have a part of that.”
STEVE VOTAW:
“This represents one of Lawrenceburg’s greatest missed opportunities.
Thousands of visitors come to our community because of Wild Turkey and Four Roses, but our goal should be to turn those visitors into Lawrenceburg visitors, not simply distillery visitors.
We should give them a reason to return to our town and not just make it a one-time visit. Festivals, holiday events, restaurants, unique businesses, and more are the reasons people come back.
We need to give them reasons to come downtown before or after their tours. Let them know there is shopping, restaurants, history, guided tours, events, experiences, and attractions downtown and make it extremely easy for them to discover those opportunities.
I would like to see stronger partnerships connecting our distilleries, tourism efforts, downtown businesses, and community events.
Every additional hour a visitor spends in Lawrenceburg creates another opportunity for local businesses to make money or gain a longtime customer.
We already have something other communities across Kentucky would love to have, and that is internationally recognized destinations bringing visitors directly to our doorstep. We need to capitalize on that opportunity.”
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QUESTION 5:
What downtown issue needs the most immediate attention, and what would you do about it?
JOANI CLARK:
“The biggest concerns that I have seen in downtown is the drainage problem at the Court Street and Main Street intersection.
I feel very bad for the businesses that this affects. This has been a problem for years and I would like to see a long-term solution.
I would like to see an additional crosswalk, but I am aware that the state says we can’t. I would like to try and change that, to see if they would reconsider or if we can get something changed to make that happen.
This isn’t an issue directly in downtown, but I would like to secure a grant for help with the sidewalks out to the cemetery for a tourism idea, but it can’t be done without proper sidewalks.
I am very much a person that will try to find solutions to problems.”
Joani also shared this closing thought:
“This race isn’t about me, it is about our community. I need your help to ‘Keep Moving Forward.’”
STEVE VOTAW:
“I believe one of our most immediate challenges is creating consistent activity downtown.
A beautiful downtown area with empty storefronts at times or limited foot traffic isn’t enough.
We need people walking the sidewalks, visiting businesses, attending events, eating at restaurants, and spending money locally.
That means addressing several things together: filling storefronts when they come open, business recruitment and retention, tourism promotion, events, appearance, parking, and communication.
One of my first priorities would be bringing downtown stakeholders together and asking a very simple question: What is preventing downtown from reaching its potential?
Then we develop measurable goals and act on them.
Government doesn’t have every answer, and the Mayor shouldn’t pretend that it does. Some of our best ideas will come directly from the people who open their doors downtown every morning.
My job as Mayor will be to listen and then help turn good ideas into action.”
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Thank you to both Joani Clark and Steve Votaw for taking the time to answer our questions and share their ideas for Downtown Lawrenceburg.
We encourage residents to read both candidates’ responses, learn more about the issues that matter to them, and make their own informed decision.
Please keep the conversation in the comments respectful. We’re neighbors before, during, and after an election.
DOWNTOWN LAWRENCEBURG KY
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