Taking the oath was a family affair with the new councilwoman being sworn in by her aunt, Kentucky Supreme Court justice Pamela Goodwine.
It's also the second time Higgins-Hord has done so. She was appointed by Gorton in August 2020 and served through the end of that year amid the turmoil of the pandemic.
This time, Higgins-Hord says she wants to start fresh and hear from her new constituents in the Sixth District before laying out priorities.
"I've done this before. It's very similar to my work at the University of Kentucky where I spend a lot of time speaking to people in the community, learning about what they need, and I just thought it was important for me to just step back into this arena right now," she told reporters.
Also, unlike her last term, Higgins-Hord says she's not ruling out running to keep the seat when her appointment ends in December 2026.
"Well, I'm thinking about it," she said. "What I really want to do first is see how this measures with my job at the University of Kentucky. Work-life balance is important to me, and I want to make sure that I can do that. And when I do, then I'll make my decision."
Mayor Gorton said Higgins-Hord was chosen from a list of 15 applicants in part because of her service-oriented background and her prior experience.
"A lot of our employees already know her. A lot of the council members already know her," Gorton said. "It will be a little bit longer this time because it's a longer term... and I'm really happy that she was interested in doing this."
Higgins-Hord will be taking the place of former councilwoman Denise Gray, who stepped away from the seat to take a position in Milwaukee.