13 File To Run For Burgin Council

Hensley Runs For Reelection

Robert Moore

rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com

Burgin Mayor George Hensley has decided to run for reelection. But Hensley isn’t the only story. Thirteen people filed to run for the Burgin City Council and several others were calling the Mercer County Clerk’s Office about how to run as a write-in candidate.

It’s a dramatic turnaround from last week, when only former Burgin Police Chief Jim Caldwell had filed to run for mayor and four people were running for the six-member Burgin city council: John “Skippy” Stamps, Melissa Bailey and Lisa Hisle and incumbent David Caldwell.

Joining them on the slate are incumbents David R. Peavler, Sindicat “Sid” Dunn and Jamie Keebortz. In addition, Tamica Lynn, Frances Hayslett Cord, Joseph Monroe, Amanda M. Rulon, William D. Rulon and Crystal Peavler, David R. Peavler’s wife, have also filed to run. Even while County Clerk Chris Horn was running off copies of the candidate roster, people were calling in to file to run as write-in candidates. The deadline is Friday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m.

It’s similar to 2016, when 15 people ran for the council There were so many candidates a second debate had to be set up to handle them all.

That’s not the only race in Burgin drawing attention. Seven people have filed to run for the three open spots on the Burgin Board of Education. In addition to Chairman Robert “Bob” Clark and current Burgin Councilwoman Katrina Sexton, who had already filed, Bryan Vandiviere, Tressa T. Brown, Darryl G. Peavler II, Shelby Martin, Zack Gross and Mary Jo Lawson have filed to run.

There are two competitive campaigns for the Mercer County Board of Education. Catherine Lowry and Patrick Branam are challenging Larry Yeager to represent district two on the school board. Billy G. Montgomery is being challenged by Andrew Miner to represent district three.

While the 2018 general election is shaping up to be one of the most competitive non-presidential election years in recent American history, it has been a quiet one here in Mercer County. Only a handful of countywide offices—jailer, sheriff, property value administrator and one magistrate position—are being contested.

There are also four candidates—Paul Campbell, James Wheeler, Ian Thomas and Zack Ison—have filed to run for the three open seats on the Soil and Water Conservation District.

To learn more, check out this week’s issue of the Harrodsburg Herald.