LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – A heated dispute between London Mayor Randall Weddle and the city council escalated Tuesday as council members overrode the mayor’s vetoes on several ordinances, including an amended budget that could result in the layoffs of 87 city employees.
The council called a special meeting to address Weddle’s vetoes from earlier this month. During the session, council members voted to override each veto one by one, including the controversial budget amendment.
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Budget cuts target first responders and city workers
Weddle said the amended budget will force layoffs of firefighters, police officers, road workers and other city employees. He warned the cuts would reduce the city’s workforce to levels not seen since 1995, despite significant population growth since then.
“We’re probably going to lose out of 130 employees, I might be down to 15 left. The city can’t operate,” Weddle said.
The mayor said he has not been given a reason for the new budget and criticized the council’s approach.
“When you do a budget, you include money that you’ve already spent and then the money that you’re proposing for the following remainder of time you’ve amended that budget for. Council has not done that in this case,” Weddle said.
Employees file lawsuit as deadline approaches
More than 80 city employees are filing a wrongful termination lawsuit and making other complaints against the city council. Attorney Emily Campbell, who represents the employees, said there is hope a judge will halt the ordinance affecting workers.
“A lot of these folks that we’ve talked to that we now represent, some of them are the only income for their home, some of them have spouses battling cancer and this is their insurance, so this isn’t just something that affects these employees, it affects a lot of families,” Campbell said.
Weddle said the budget changes will go into effect next Thursday.
City council members referred requests for comment to their attorney, who has not returned calls.
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