Burgin Mayor, Council Differ Over Attorney Hire

Last week, the Burgin City Council voted 4–2 to hire a new city attorney.

The next morning, Mayor George Hensley ignored the majority’s wishes and elected to continue using an interim attorney for the foreseeable future.

The former attorney, Tom Hensley, resigned in December. Since then, Wanda McClure Dry of Danville has been serving as interim city attorney.

Mayor Hensley said the city would continue to retain McClure Dry’s services as city attorney. “The hiring comes under my jurisdiction, not theirs,” Hensley said.

The mayor said it was an economic decision. “We’re already over budget,” Hensley said. The former city attorney charged Burgin $325 a month.

“We’ve gone from a $300 a month lawyer to a $1,200 a month lawyer,” he said. “Where am I going to get the money for it?”

Hensley said if the city council wanted to draw up a contract, they’d review it and send it out for bids. But until then he was keeping McClure Dry as city attorney.

Interviewed the day after the meeting Dunn was confused as to why the city council’s decision had not been honored.

“Why would we have a special meeting?” Dunn asked. “I could have stayed home or watched the Burgin game.”

To learn more, check out this week’s edition of The Harrodsburg Herald.