May 8 Designated John ‘Honza’ Cernosek Day in the City of LG

John “Honza” Cernosek will step down from the La Grange City Council this month after more than 26 years in office.

“For these last 26 years, I’ve had a good time,” Cernosek said. “Everything worked out great. The Council members I’ve served with turned out to be good friends. I’ve been lucky to serve with a good council, good mayors and good city managers.”

Before joining the Council, Cernosek had served as a paramedic for Fayette County EMS and as a firefighter for the La Grange Fire Department. Cernosek’s nieghbor, Calvin Mersiovsky resigned from the City Council in January of 1997. Cernosek said Mersiovsky urged him to apply for the open position.

“It just so happened that there were two vacancies on the Council at the time,” Cernosek recalled. “So myself and Calvin Dockery applied for those two positions and we each got appointed. In three or four months there was the election. I thought it was interesting. So I decided to go ahead and run for the two-year term.

“I enjoyed it,” he said. “I had an opponent the first year and an opponent for my second term. But for the last 22 years, I ran unopposed. Evidently the people in my ward were happy with what I was doing.”

Cernosek served with four mayors during his time on the Council. Don Chovanec was the Mayor when Cernosek was first appointed. He later served with David Noak, Janet Moerbe and now Jan Dockery.

“I got to be part of a Council that sat during what’s probably the best economic period in the history of the City,” Cernosek said. “I think we had a period of prosperity, and still do, because of the strong sales tax base. Businesses bringing in sales. The sales tax is a big chunk of the city funding. And it’s the businesses that drove this economy.”

Shawn Raborn was the city manager when Cernosek joined the Council. Cernosek attributed the City’s strong financial health to Raborn’s leadership.

“The biggest accomplishment I was proud to be a part of was the remodeling of the library,” he said.

Fayette Public Library, Museum and Archives underwent a major remodel in the early 2000s.

“It was community involvement,” Cernosek said. “As I recall, the City pledged something like a half million dollars, but then the community had to raise at least that amount, and they did. I was so proud to see the community raise that money. The ladies at the library worked hard. Families and corporations pledged money through memorials. They met that matching amount and went well over it. Everytime I drive by that library I think about that. It’s not that the City paid for this, but the whole community helped.”

Cernosek has served on the City’s library committee almost the whole time he’s been on the Council.

“Back when they asked me to be on the library board, I though it was funny because I had only been in the library maybe twice in my whole life,” Cernosek said. “But I said OK and I joined. I got involved and really saw what we have. It’s unusual for a small town like ours to have a library, museum and archives that’s so nice. I love how much it’s used by locals. Everytime I drive by it puts a smile on my face.“ Cernosek served as mayor pro tem for nine years.

“James Zimmerhanzel, who was on the City Council close to 40 years, was the mayor pro tem for years and years,” Cernosek said. “He retired in 2013. The position doesn’t go by seniority; it’s just a vote of the Council. But traditionally, I suppose, it went to the most senior. Calvin Kuhn would have been the most senior person. If he wanted it, he would have gotten it. But he said, ‘No, I do not want it.’ He nominated me. I got it and I stayed on for nine years.”

Cernosek gave up the position last year and it passed to Kathy Weishuhn. Cernosek announced last year that he would not seek reelection in 2023. Ken Taylor ran unopposed for Cernosek’s seat, and he will join the Council at the next meeting on May 22.

“Ken will do a great job,” Cernosek said. “The City is headed in the right direction, and I think it’s going to stay that way.”

Cernosek said flooding and drainage issues have been the most difficult problems for the City to manage during his time on the Council.

“There’s nothing you can do really quickly to solve the problem,” he said. “There’s not a bandaid you can put on it. When it floods, people’s homes are damaged. You feel bad for them and there’s not a whole lot you can do right then. Fixing drainage problems takes years and millions of dollars. And then who goes first? What part of town do you fix first?”

Looking forward, Cernosek said he hopes the City works to attract more business to the downtown and the Courthouse Square.

“We need business in those storefronts,” Cernosek said. “There’s a lot of vacancies. We need to keep the economy going. I know it’s hard starting a business right now. But we need to keep a vibrant downtown. There used to be businesses in every spot on the square. That’s what made our little community. You hate to drive through small communities and see boarded up stores. I don’t want to see that here.”

At the City Council meeting this Monday, May 8, Mayor Jan Dockery read a proclamation honoring Cernosek for his years of service. In addition, she proclaimed May 8 as John “Honza” Cernosek Day in La Grange. At the end of the meeting, Cernosek made his final motion as a Councilman: a motion to adjourn.

“I enjoyed every second,” he said. “Do it over again? Yes. I’ve got to say ‘thank you’ to the community for having the trust and confidence to make decisions for them. I hope I didn’t let them down. It’s been a great run. The City is in good financial shape. The future is bright for this whole community.”