FALMOUTH, Ky. — The Metropolis of Falmouth has a brand new interim mayor after town council voted to question former mayor Sebastian Ernst earlier this yr.
Council member Luke Value was sworn in as interim mayor earlier this month. Value has served on council for years and is a lifelong resident of Falmouth.
“I get pleasure from being a councilor,” he mentioned. “However you get put in sure conditions that you must step up and be part of it.”
Value will serve till November, at which level voters will elect a mayor to finish the time period. Value advised WCPO he plans to run in that election.
“A few of my targets is clearly infrastructure, at all times giving the very best service to the residents of the Metropolis of Falmouth,” Value mentioned. “Security and the well-being of residents is primary. I wish to attempt to get the police division again to 24-hour protection.”
Value mentioned he’s targeted on displaying residents that lawmakers can work collectively and are transferring ahead.
“This council and this mayor is keen to work collectively to make progress,” he mentioned.
It follows a tumultuous few months between the council and former mayor Ernst, who was faraway from workplace earlier this month.
Ernst advised WCPO Tuesday he nonetheless plans to enchantment the impeachment.
“The folks will appropriate all of this come November,” he wrote in a textual content Tuesday.
Metropolis council voted to take away Ernst after an investigation into allegations of misconduct and/or willful neglect in workplace. The council unanimously discovered him responsible of the three fees they served him with in December.
The primary cost accused Ernst of prohibiting a civic group from utilizing metropolis property as a result of they didn’t align along with his values. Ernst advised WCPO the group was the county Republican Social gathering. He mentioned the earlier administration had allowed the celebration to carry conferences in council chambers, which he disagreed with as a result of the constructing is meant to be nonpartisan.
The second accused Ernst of utilizing his private Fb web page because the official account for the workplace of the Falmouth mayor. Council alleges he then used the identical account “to market property he and/or his mom personal on the market or lease.”
Ernst mentioned he discusses metropolis enterprise on his social media as a “citizen.”
The third cost accused Ernst of making an attempt to extort council member Robert Pettit into resignation, highlighting a message wherein Ernst allegedly demanded Pettit resign or he would attend a college board assembly “to current proof of assault on a minor.”
“If I used to be going to extort somebody, which I by no means would, I would not do it over textual content,” Ernst mentioned.
It is the second time Falmouth lawmakers have voted to question a mayor since 2017, when Elonda Hinson was faraway from workplace.
WCPO requested Value to reply to critics who allege council members push out lawmakers they do not like.
“Should you’re truthful and sincere, and also you’re factual, you don’t have anything to cover. There isn’t any questions,” mentioned Value.
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