WEST BUECHEL, Ky. — West Buechel is only one square mile, and the home to less than 2,000 people. Though small, it’s been the focus of many big issues over the years.
“We have a bad rep, but it’s not the people, it’s the administration,” Randy Mullins said.
Mullins has lived in the small city tucked away off Bardstown Road between Fern Creek and the Highlands for most of his life. He said West Buechel’s shady past is no secret.
“I've seen apparently a lot of corruption, or at least, the appearance of corruption,” he said referring to rumors he’s heard.
Complaints of fraud and missing taxpayer money have plagued the town for years. An audit in 2015 quoted questionable spending, and before that, one in 2007 found more than $100,000 to be misused.
Mullins hopes that’s a thing of the past and is looking forward to new administration sworn in this year.
“I feel like a dark cloud has lifted over the city of West Buechel,” he explained.
The most recent election brought a new face to the mayor's seat: Brenda Moore. Four new council members were also elected.
“Third time's the charm,” she said, after running twice before.
“I'm looking for a positive future, and I think we can succeed with that.”
Mayor Moore has lived in West Buechel for decades, serving on the council for many years, too.
She's promising transparency from her administration during the next four years.
“We're all humans, we make mistakes. We just have to own them, we have to fix them and we have to move on. And that's exactly what I intend on doing,” she explained.