Liberty Township picks new administrator
LIBERTY TWP. – A former Administrator of the Year has been selected to lead Liberty Township.
Jesse Lightle has accepted an offer to become Liberty Township’s administrator, said Steve Schramm, president of the township’s board of trustees.
An employment contract is being finalized and is expected to be voted on at the trustee’s March 7 meeting, with her first day on the job set for March 8.
“I think we’ve reached the point where we have to tout our success and I think she will be very good at that. She will be a great ambassador for us going forward,” said Schramm.
Schramm said Lightle is accessible, easy to talk with and was well-received when she was introduced to the staff as one of two finalists interviewed for the position.
“Sometimes the stars align and in this case they have,’’ said Trustee Tom Farrell.
“Her experience, dedication, and passion will be an asset to Liberty Township, its residents, and businesses. I look forward to working with her.”
Lightle replaces Kristen Bitonte, who resigned after her husband accepted a job in Florida.
“I’m very excited to get to know the Liberty community and help achieve the township’s vision,’’ Lightle said in a statement. “There are incredible opportunities and economic development projects on the horizon and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
From 2006 until earlier this year when she joined Sinclair Community College as senior vice president and chief of staff, Lightle worked first as the deputy administrator and then administrator for Montgomery County’s Washington Township.
The township has a population of 61,684, which includes both the unincorporated area and the City of Centerville, located in the township. As Washington Township’s third administrator, Lightle’s focus was on financial responsibility, infrastructure improvement, planning, and economic development.
Prior to that, Lightle worked as assistant city manager for the city of Clayton and assistant to the city manager in Centerville, both suburbs of Dayton, Ohio.
She was named the 2020 Administrator of the Year by the Montgomery County Township Association and is a 2012 recipient of the Dayton Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award.
Lightle holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wright State University.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Liberty Township selected Jesse Lightle as its new administrator
