By Anna Akins
Although young, Lexington’s new city manager is no amateur when it comes to local government. At 40, Noah Simon brings 15 years of experience to the job and claims that an interest in government began even earlier.
Born in Louisville, Ky., Simon was involved in his community from the get-go. Whether it was festivals, symphonies or other cultural events, Simon’s parents always made sure that he stayed involved.
“I guess I was that kid whose parents were always dragging me to various community events,” Simon said. “I probably hated it as a kid but later on in life I realized it was valuable.”
Simon’s interest in government continued throughout high school, as he was required to read a great deal of political science books.
His interest continued to develop as he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Emory University in Atlanta and a master’s degree in public policy from American University in Washington D.C.
While in graduate school, Simon wanted to work for the federal government instead of for local governments. However, after an internship and job with the International City Managers’ Association, Simon changed his mind.
“I worked for the ICMA for a number of years and got to see the things that local government managers do,” Simon said. “I left ICMA to work for a local government, and 15 years later here I am.”
Before coming to Lexington, Simon served as assistant county manager in Floyd County, Ga., for two and a half years. He has also previously held local government positions in Texas, Minnesota, Maryland and Virginia.
Simon knew that he wanted to work in Virginia again one day.
“When I had the opportunity to come back [to Virginia] I jumped at it—I knew this was the place I wanted to be.”
Lexington City Council unanimously appointed Simon as city manager in late September and he officially began his job on Oct. 27. He replaced Jon Ellestad, who had served as city manager for nearly 24 years.
Mayor Mimi Elrod said that, among all the candidates for city manager, she knew that Simon would be the best fit.
“He’s a very strong person who comes across as really knowing what he’s talking about,” Elrod said. “I’m a big fan of his—I think he’ll bring a lot of new things in.”
While some might find it difficult to adjust to a new city manager after 24 years of routine, Administrative Assistant Brenda Doyle appreciates Simon’s fresh approach and new ideas.
“Jon [Ellestad] was here for a long time,” she said. “Noah is more collaborative, and he likes to bounce ideas off of people.”
Simon said that Ellestad has been a great resource and mentor. He also added that he has kept Ellestad’s old office on the second floor of City Hall relatively unchanged.
For Simon, each day on the job is different. However, much of his time is spent working on the budget for the next fiscal year, attending staff meetings, and developing initiatives within the community.
Simon has already had his fair share of surprises on the job. Receiving unexpected calls from the fire chief both about the Shenandoah Attic & Victorian Parlour’s parapet collapse and about the recent house fire on Enfield Road have been his biggest surprises so far.
Simon’s main goal is to learn the ropes of a new working environment. He emphasized how important it is for him to learn Lexington’s new processes and procedures as well as the best methods for completing projects.
“How I did these things in Georgia is going to be different from how I do them here,” Simon said. “So I’m trying to figure out the best path for dealing with the issues in front of me.”
Resource management, infrastructure needs, and long-term planning are at the top of Simon’s agenda.
Washington and Lee University’s third-year housing project is also on Simon’s radar. He has been busy working with W&L to sort out traffic issues that could result from the project.
Simon concedes that the project will have an impact on the community, but thinks that its benefits will outweigh the negatives.
When he’s not busy crunching numbers, Simon enjoys following the Chicago Cubs along with various baseball, basketball, and hockey teams. He enjoys reading, travelling, and spending time with his two dogs.
He also enjoys getting his Mexican fix at the new Mano Taqueria as well as getting his morning bagels at W&L’s E Café.
Simon is engaged to be married next fall.
He admits that the job of city manager can be grueling. However, the ability to touch people’s lives and to positively affect the community keeps him hooked.
“[It] is a powerful drug that keeps me in this profession,” he said with a smile.