Results of removal hearing to determine if Villa Hills mayor gets to keep job

VILLA HILLS, Ky. - The Villa Hills mayor embroiled in scandal could be removed from office based on the results of a removal hearing Monday.

It would take a unanimous vote at the end of the removal hearing to take Villa Hill Mayor Mike Martin out of the office. The move to get Martin out of the job comes after an investigation uncovered that he burned city documents and violated ethics ordinances. All six council members voted to have the removal hearing.

The hearing is scheduled to take place at River Ridge Elementary School, 2772 Amsterdam Road at 6 p.m. Martin will not get to preside over his own removal hearing — which he pushed to do last month. Instead, a retired circuit court judge will oversee the hearing.

If the council votes to remove Martin at the end of the three-day hearing, the council will have 30 days to select a person to fill the position as the city's mayor. That person would finish the rest of Martin's term, which extends through Jan. 1, 2014.

If the council is not able to fill the position within the 30-day period, Kentucky's governor, Steve Beshear will appoint the mayor, according to Kentucky law.

Martin is facing criminal charges. The city of Villa Hills hired local attorney Phil Taliaferro to conduct a special investigation into the mayor's ethics. The results of Taliaferro's investigation were released in May, and found Martin burned city documents and violated ethics ordinances.

The investigation also found Martin performed electrical work in Kentucky without the proper license, which is a misdemeanor in the Bluegrass state.

In June, Villa Hills city leaders voted to turn Martin into the Kenton County Attorney's Office.

Stay with 9 News and KyPost.com for updates as they become available.