Since May, five Ashland city officials have left their positions. Now, the mayor decided to step down on Wednesday.
It had been a long three months for Ashland Mayor Gene Rhorer.
“I signed up for a two-year term and I tried like heck to finish it out and it just occupied too much of my time,” Rhorer said.
Rhorer just took over as mayor in July after former Mayor Michael Jackson moved to Texas. He says he had been considering resignation for a year. He was previously an alderman.
“My reasons are it has come at so much of a personal burden on myself and my family that I just chose to resign,” Rhorer said.
Ashland Ward II Alderman John Hills says Rhorer stepped in at a time of crisis.
“Mayor Rhorer took over in a situation where he had to hire a police chief, he had to hire a city administrator. We had to move forward finding a city attorney, so it was probably one of the most difficult times in Ashland history,” Hills said.
Ward III Alderman Carl Long will take over the duties of Ashland mayor immediately. The position is up for election next year.
The board will meet at its regularly scheduled meeting next Tuesday to figure out a plan moving forward. It is also currently considering impeaching Alderman Jeff Anderson, who is suspended for now.
