City of London warns amended budget already impacting services, more cuts ahead

LONDON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — The City of London says impacts from the recently amended city budget are already being felt, with additional service disruptions expected in the coming weeks if changes are not made.

In a public statement posted to the City of London’s Facebook page, city officials said funding for the city’s IT Department end Jan. 1. As a result, city staff and first responders no longer have internal IT support for critical systems, including servers, computer networks, communications and emergency technology.

According to the post, if the budget is not corrected, the mayor will be legally required to implement layoffs beginning Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. Those layoffs would affect the Fire Department, Street Department and the Building Inspector’s Office.

City officials say that would temporarily leave London without fire services, street department operations or building inspection services.

The statement also warns of potential disruptions to trash collection. City leaders say significant pay reductions included in the amended budget have led most, if not all, sanitation workers to indicate they may be unable to continue their employment. As a result, residents are being advised to expect major interruptions in garbage pickup beginning next week.

Looking further ahead, the city says additional layoffs would be required by the first week of February, affecting all city clerks and the Rescue Squad. Under the current budget framework, city officials say even City Council members would no longer receive compensation at that point.

According to the statement, the city says remarks made by the City Council’s attorney indicate council members Judd Weaver and Justin Young worked on the amended ordinance. The post claims the ordinance was drafted without fully accounting for previously approved expenditures, resulting in what city officials describe as an unbalanced budget.

City officials say Kentucky law does not allow municipalities to operate under an unbalanced budget and that corrective action is required.

The statement emphasizes that the situation is not a reflection of city employees’ performance, noting that workers continue to serve the public under difficult circumstances.

City leaders say the mayor’s priority remains protecting public safety, maintaining essential services and ensuring the city operates in a lawful and financially responsible manner. The mayor also says he remains committed to working toward a solution that restores stability for city employees and continuity of services for residents.