Arthur K. Draut 1984 – 2007
Arthur K. Draut was appointed mayor after Bernard Bowling, Sr’s death in September 1984. Draut, who grew up in Louisville’s West End, has lived in St. Matthews since 1958. He is a DuPont Manual High School graduate and a 26-year Navy veteran who served in World War II and the Korean War, retiring at the rank of full Commander.
He earned bachelor and master degrees in marketing and commerce from the University of Louisville and later worked as a teacher at Eastern High School. In 1954 he became dean of students at Waggener High School in St. Matthews. He became assistant principal there in 1959 and principal in 1968, serving until 1983.
He was appointed to the City Council to finish the unexpired term of Millard Rudy. Under his leadership as mayor, the city established an occupational tax in 1986 to increase revenues. With these revenues the city hired additional police officers, improved and expanded three city owned parks, upgraded city employees’ pensions, computerized city records, started a sidewalk replacement and construction program, expanded the St. Matthews Community Center and Community Park, and purchased historic Greathouse School for use as the current City Hall building.
