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Lexington mayor Fred Wiedner resigns over 'absolutely disgusting' social media attacks Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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KRIS: AND I’M KRIS KETZ. STEVEN IS OFF. LEXINGTON MAYOR FRED WIEDNER IS QUTTING SAYING HATRED AND THREATS FROM LOCALS ON FACEBOOK PUSHED HIM OUT. KMBC 9’S BRIAN JOHNSON IS IN LEXINGTON WITH HOW IT HAPPENED BRIAN: IN A TOWN FAMOUS FOR ITS HISTORIC BATTLE, TONIGHT THERE’S NEW TENSION IN LEXINGTON. >> WE WERE ALL BASICALLY SHOCKED. WE HAD NO ANTICIPATION OF THIS. BRIAN: COUNCILMAN STEVE TERRY SAYS THE HIT WAS UNEXPECTED, BUT THE RIFT BEGAN IN FEBRUARY. UNDER A PERVIOUS COUNCIL, HE SAYS MAYOR FRED WIEDNER FIRED THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR JOE AULL. SOME VOTERS DIDN’T AGREE. IN THE APRIL ELECTION FOUR CITY COUNCIL SEATS CHANGED HANDS, THREE OF THOSE WERE WRITE IN CANDIDATES, MOVING LEXINGTON IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. IN HIS LETTER OF RESIGNATION, NOW FORMER MAYOR WIEDNER COMPLAINS ABOUT THE COUNCIL’S INABILITY TO HIRE A NEW ADMINISTRATOR. HE ALSO SAYS ATTACKS, AND OUTRIGHT LIES, HURLED AT HIM ON FACEBOOK MADE HIS FAMILY CHOSE TO MOVE OUT OF STATE. THIS REAL ESTATE SIGN IS POSTED IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE. >> WE HAVE TO GET PAST THIS DIVISION, AND THAT’S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME. BRIAN: COUNCILMAN TERRY SAYS IT’S NOT A GOOD SITUATION, BUT THE CITY WILL STILL GET THINGS DONE >> IT’S JUST GOING TO REQUIRE A FEW MORE OF US TO PITCH IN AND HELP OUT AND THAT’S THE WAY GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO WORK. BRIAN: HE SAYS THE COUNCIL WANTS MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MAYOR PRO TEM SCOTT LYNN WILL NOW SERVE AS INTERIM MAYOR. WITH FEWER CITY LEADERS, CHANGING THE CITIES COURSE WILL TAKE TIME. >> I WOULD JUST URGE THE CITIZENS OF LEXINGTON FOR US TO ALL PULL TOGETHER. BE PATIENT. WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS SITUATION CORRECTED. BR