Longtime Lawrenceburg Police Chief Terry Shay has taken early retirement and Neil Skinner has been named as acting Chief of Police.
The move comes just days after Ronald Fox was named to fill a vacancy on the Commission, but Lawrenceburg Mayor Keith Durham said candidates for the vacancy were not ?specifically asked? if they wanted Shay to stay on as Chief.
Technically Shay, or any other city employee can only be fired by the City Administrator who works for the Commission. At its last meeting the Commission voted to amend their charter to require only three votes to fire the City Administrator, the current charter calls for four.
That charter amendments and another one that adds 16 months to each Commissioner and the Mayor?s current term in office have not yet been finalized.
Mayor Durham said he got Shay?s letter of retirement this morning then met with the Chief and said the Chief had an ?open window that is available to him at this time.?
Neil Skinner said his appointment as Acting Chief came as a surprise. ?This was very unexpected?, he said, ?it?s a big job to undertake and I?ll need the help of lots of people to do the job.?