KY auditor to further examine London’s finances under Mayor Randall Weddle
Kentucky’s top taxpayer watchdog found issues with transactions during London Mayor Randall Weddle’s first two years in the role.
The office of State Auditor Allison Ball sent the mayor a letter Thursday about “additional examination procedures” that will be used to address concerns that arose during a preliminary assessment done by the office in September.
The auditor’s office began its preliminary audit of London the day before Weddle was impeached and removed from office by the London City Council on claims that he misused city funds, among other things. Weddle was reinstated by an appeals court judge in October, but he remains at the center of a public feud with several members of the council.
This week, council members opted to conduct city business without Weddle after an earlier special-called meeting was cancelled.
Now, the auditor’s office says it is conducting a special examination that covers city spending from the time Weddle took office in January 2023 to August of this year, when he was impeached.
The examination will review “a specific matter brought to our attention,” according to the letter Weddle received Thursday. Deputy State Auditor Shari Scott, who is leading the audit, did not cite specific concerns. The office does not usually comment on investigations until after it has published its findings.
“To preserve the integrity and confidentiality of the audit process, we are unable to provide further details until the examination has been completed,” a spokesperson for the auditor’s office told the Herald-Leader via email.
A London resident and business owner filed suit against the city in federal court on Wednesday, alleging it overcharged for city trash pickup services to the tune of more than $1.5 million over the past two budget cycles Weddle oversaw. It is unclear whether those allegations are included in the scope of the special audit.
Special audits may appraise city tax collection and spending procedures and determine compliance with state and local law or binding contracts.
Weddle said his administration is cooperating with the auditor’s office.
“I’ve been in office for three years cleaning up as much and as fast as I can,” he said. “We are actually glad they are here and welcome any feedback they give if they find something that needs fixed.”
Status of ‘rogue’ council meeting remains in question
Councilwoman Kelly Smith Greene and others have split with the mayor over a suite of ordinances aimed at improving the city’s financial footing. The ordiances would establish a revised pay scale for city employees that could result in layoffs and conditioning the city fire department’s response to certain life-threatening emergencies on mutual-aid requests from other agencies.
“It doesn’t surprise me that they found discrepancies with the city finances,” Smith Greene said.
After Weddle cancelled a special-called meeting on Wednesday, claiming inadequate seating and viewing opportunities would violate Kentucky’s open-meetings law, all but one member of the council stayed behind and voted to formally approve the controversial ordinances.
During a follow-up meeting on Thursday, the members who participated in Wednesday’s votes did not show up. Weddle told the audience that he would report the “rogue” council meeting to the Kentucky Attorney General’s office.
The ordinances have not been finalized, according to the city website, and it remains unclear whether Wednesday’s meeting and votes held the force of law.
Since controversy arose over Weddle’s tenure as mayor, London City Council meetings are regularly crowded with standing room only.
Weddle lost a bid to overturn an August city council meeting about his impeachment charges by alleging the meeting location was inconvenient and violated state law because there was inadequate space, seating and acoustics in the room, according to agency records.
Citing a 2004 Kentucky Supreme Court ruling, Attorney General Russell Coleman said that “the fact that a large number of citizens were able to attend the meeting demonstrates that it was not an inconvenient location.”
A spokesperson for the AG’s office said they cannot comment on whether Weddle has yet sought a decision regarding Wednesday’s meeting.
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 12:49 PM.
