Edward Ray Girdler is an

American politician In the United States, politics functions within a framework of a constitutional federal democratic republic with a presidential system. The three distinct branches share powers: Congress, which forms the legislative branch, a bicameral legis ...

and former mayor of

Somerset, Kentucky Somerset is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,924. History Somerset was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from ...

. He was unseated by the mayor Alan Keck in 2018.

Impeachment threat

On November 13, 2007,

City Councilman A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counci ...

Jim Mitchell moved to

impeach Impeachment is a process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In Euro ...

mayor Girdler.Commonwealth Journal - 'I move to impeach the mayor'
/ref> The situation began when City Attorney Carrie Wiese presented a resolution drafted by councilor Jim Rutherford asking for a

state auditor State auditors (also known as state comptrollers, state controllers, or state examiners, among others) are fiscal officers lodged in the executive or legislative branches of U.S. state governments who serve as external auditors, program eval ...

to examine the City of Somerset's budget from January 1, 2007, to present.

2010 re-election bid

Girdler announced that he would run for re-election in 2010. He faced three opponents on the May 18 primary: Former mayor and current campaign treasurer for Congressman

Hal Rogers Harold Dallas Rogers (born December 31, 1937) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party. Upon Don Young's death in 2022, Rogers became the dean of the Hous ...

, J.P Wiles; local business owner Bill Hamilton; and former Somerset police chief and current chief deputy at the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department, Larry Wesley. Girdler defeated Wiles by 89 votes.

Interstate 66

Girdler was critical of the proposed

Interstate 66 Interstate 66 (I-66) is a 76.32 mile east–west Interstate Highway in the East Coast of the United States, eastern United States. The highway runs from an interchange with Interstate 81 in Virginia, I-81 near Middletown, Virginia, on its w ...

bypass around the City of Somerset, concerned with the loss of business to the city. He instructed all city departments "not to encourage growth along I-66 and bypass intersections to the detriment of businesses along U.S. 27." The proposed route of the bypass is approximately five miles North of the main shopping area within the city limits of Somerset.

2018 Accident

On August 12, 2018, Mayor Girdler was accused of leaving the scene after an accident involving a 15-year-old cyclist. Mr. Girdler denied any wrongdoing, saying was not aware of any accident, but the cyclist was later air-lifted to the University of Kentucky hospital after suffering a laceration to her liver.

References

External links

City of Somerset Mayor's Office
Living people People from Somerset, Kentucky 21st-century mayors of places in Kentucky 1953 births {{Kentucky-mayor-stub