MARYVILLE, Tenn. — A woman in Maryville is making history as the city's first woman city council member. Now, the city has a voice in power that it has never had before.
Sarah Herron made history as the first woman city council member and is paving the way for more inclusion and ideas to be heard in the City of Maryville.
"I'm up for the task and I'm excited to do it, but it is certainly something I don't take for granted," Herron said. "I take it very seriously."
She's kind of like Blount County's own Leslie Knope, a character from NBC's hit show "Parks and Recreation." They share a passion for inclusive politics and the place they call home.
Knope was also the Town of Pawnee's first female council member in the show. Herron said she is compared to her all the time.
Herron found out from library records she was one of the first women to even run for a city council seat.
"From that point, it wasn't. 'okay, I think I can contribute.' It was, 'I'm gonna fight really hard for this because it's time for women to have a voice at the table,'" Herron said.
At first, she said she wanted to run for the seat because of her background in technology. She's the Communications Director for Friends of the Smokies and understands the importance of having equal access to high-speed internet in the community.
"I ran because I bring technical experience to the table," Herron said.
She also said it's especially important to have her kind of insight during a global event like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, she's able to bring in a whole new perspective into the city chamber. Before, mothers were not represented on the council.
“As I was talking to people, I heard a couple of times, especially people who have lived here a long time, that the councilmen are kind of the fathers of the city, and so I thought, 'you know what? Mama’s home,'” Herron said.
She's taking a page from her fellow history-maker Kamala Harris in an unprecedented year.
"I should be the first of many and I'm gonna do my part to make sure that happens," Herron said.
She will be sworn in on December 1. That's also when the first big decisions for the city start being made, like who the next mayor will be.
"It’s like, 'alright, let’s go bust up this good ole boys club,'" Herron said. "They’re really nice gentlemen, but it’s sort of like alright, it’s time for a culture shift. It’s time for a change, and I think it’s gonna be a good change."
Herron campaigned in places like parks and playgrounds, talking to people in the community about what they want to see done in the city. Herron said she's making it her mission to get as many opinions as possible when it comes to voting on issues. She doesn't want her view to be the only one represented when it comes to her decision-making process.
She said the volunteers who worked with her throughout the campaign made her win possible. Members of the community helped her send out thousands of texts and calls.
Anyone who would like to talk with Herron can visit her Facebook Page or website, councilwomanherron.com.