Lexington town council member named head of national municipal association
A Lexington town councilwoman has been named to lead a national advocacy group for the country’s cities and towns.
Kathy Maness has been named the president of the National League of Cities. Maness was elected at a virtual summit of the organization last week, along with the league’s other officers for the next year.
Maness is the first NLC president from South Carolina and will serve a one-year term. She previously served as president of Women in Municipal Government.
Maness was first elected to Lexington Town Council in 2004, and served on several boards and committees for the league before she was elected to the top job, including on the board of directors. She was the league’s first vice president before her election.
Based in Washington, D.C., the National League of Cities is an advocacy organization representing more than 19,000 cities across the United States. It provides education, research, support and advocacy for city leaders and their needs.
“I am honored to be elected as President of this organization that is on the forefront of our nation’s issues,” Maness said in a press release from the National League of Cities. “The Board of Directors is a team of local leaders dedicated to their communities. I look forward to working together and continuing to fight for America’s cities, towns and villages.”
In addition to her role with the town of Lexington, Maness is executive director of the Palmetto State Teachers Association. She’s been active with the organization since she taught third grade at Erwin Elementary School in Lancaster.
Maness isn’t the first local leader to head a national organization. In 2018, Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin was named the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
This story was originally published November 25, 2020 at 1:14 PM.
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