Councilwoman Ally Layman comments on an amendment to the proposed 2025-26 budget as Huntington City Council convenes to vote on March 24, 2025, at City Hall in Huntington.
Councilwoman Ally Layman comments on an amendment to the proposed 2025-26 budget as Huntington City Council convenes to vote on March 24, 2025, at City Hall in Huntington.
HUNTINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” When they meet Monday, members of Huntington City Council will consider a resolution that would direct the city attorney to investigate one member's residency.
The resolution would direct City Attorney Scott Damron to investigate whether Councilmember At-Large Ally Layman lives within city limits, according to the agenda.
It would also direct the council Chair Mike Shockley to set a special meeting for the presentation of evidence discovered through the investigation, according to agenda documents.
The city charter states council members must be residents of their district and live within city limits. The council is the judge of the qualifications of its members, the agenda documents state.
"Council member Layman has refused to sign an affidavit under penalty of false swearing affirming that she is a resident of the city," the agenda document states.
LaymanÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s at-large seat gives her the ability to live in any district within city limits.
An "at-large" council member is an elected representative who serves the entire city, town or jurisdiction, rather than a specific geographic district or ward. All eligible voters in the jurisdiction cast a ballot for the at-large candidates, and the top vote-getters win the available seats.
Layman, who could not be reached by The Herald-Dispatch on Thursday, addressed the resolution through a Facebook post Wednesday evening in which she said her residence is her family home in Huntington where she lives with her mother.
Layman said she moved in with her mother after putting her house, which she said was also within city limits, up for sale. The home has not yet sold, she said.
"From day one I have done everything by the book, after asking the city attorney the proper procedure. I gave notice, I updated my address, I changed all of my legal documents, and I followed every step required," Layman said in the post.
Council member Jason Arthur is the sponsor of the resolution. Arthur said Wednesday he did not care to comment on the resolution at this time. Arthur is employed with HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, which owns The Herald-Dispatch, as an advertising sales representative.
The Herald-Dispatch asked City of Huntington Communications Director Evan Lee if city officials believe Layman is living outside of city limits, where they believe she lives and how that information was determined. Lee was also asked what steps the city would have to take if the resolution is approved. The questions were not directly answered by Lee, who instead sent a statement.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe public deserves confidence that elected officials uphold the oath they swore. Honoring the resident requirements of the City Charter cut to the heart of public trust," it reads. "The Charter is clear that City Council is the judge of a memberÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s qualifications, and to protect the integrity of its investigation, we will not comment further until Council reaches a determination."
Layman represented District 9 until she was reelected on the council as an at-large council member in 2024.
In the general election, Layman received the most votes of any council member: 6,518 votes total, with 5,997 votes in Cabell County and 521 in Wayne County. Layman's at-large counterpart received the second-most votes of 6,056, with 5,349 from Cabell County, and 707 from Wayne County.
The Huntington City Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, in the city council chambers in City Hall.
