Kentucky city faces state audit after former mayor’s impeachment, removal
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- State audit will review London's financials from Jan 2023 to Aug 2025.
- Mayor Weddle was removed after misconduct findings on multiple charges.
- Acting Mayor Handley ordered hiring freeze and pay adjustments citywide.
The tenure of a recently impeached mayor in London is being audited by the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts.
The state sent London notice of the audit Sept. 4, one day before former Mayor Randall Weddle was impeached and removed from office by the London City Council, and new Mayor Tracie Handley was sworn in to replace him.
The audit will examine the city’s transactions from Jan. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2025 — the entirety of Weddle’s tenure leading the city.
Weddle was removed from office after a nine-hour meeting to discuss 11 charges of misconduct or willful neglect by the former mayor, including misusing city police department funds for a personal protection detail, leaving vacant an ethics commission seat, and illegally signing a $5 million mortgage on behalf of the city without council approval.
The council unanimously agreed that three of Weddle’s 11 charges warranted removal from office. Weddle has not been convicted of any criminal activity, and he has said he will appeal his ouster.
Allison Ball is the auditor for the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts’s Office. She was elected to the office in 2023 and previously served as the state’s treasurer.
The independent, elected office reviews accounts and financial transactions of all spending agencies in Kentucky. The office performs more than 600 audits annually, including high-profile reviews of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, the Kentucky Department of Education and an ongoing audit of Fayette County Public Schools.
A spokesperson for Ball’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
New London mayor asks for more time to cooperate
In a response letter to Ball’s audit, Handley asked for a 30-day extension from Sept. 19 to comply with the request for documents. She said she is still familiarizing herself with her mayoral duties and the record management systems.
“This additional time will ultimately serve both our offices’ interests by ensuring the audit begins with a comprehensive, well-organized documentation that facilitates your team’s efficiency and thoroughness,” Handley wrote.
Handley expressed support for the audit and offered to work with Ball’s office, including inviting the office to set up a dedicated workspace in city hall and work directly with city staff. She also assured the city would cooperate with the audit.
“Like your office, I have concerns about certain practices and accounting procedures that may have occurred during the audit period,” Handley wrote. “I welcome your office’s professional expertise and independent review, as this audit will provide invaluable assistance in identifying areas requiring immediate attention and reform.”
In the meantime, Handley signed an executive order implementing a hiring freeze for all city departments. Handley said the decision will enable her to complete an ongoing assessment of city operations.
City departments may interview candidates for positions, but may not hire people without a special exemption from the mayor or until the order is lifted.
The order also changed the salaries of city employees who were being paid outside the approved pay and classification plan. Handley asked department leaders to report positions not within the parameters of the plan.
