Lexington Mayor Jim Gray has appointed a political newcomer to fill a vacant seat on the Urban County Council.
Taking over for veteran council member and late business icon Ed Lane will be Russ Hensley, a familiar name in Lexington information technology circles. The 42-year-old appointee owns managed services business Hensley/Elam and has never run for office, but says he plans to campaign to keep the position in November 2016.
Hensley is one of several names floated during the search for a replacement. Previous 12th district council member Gloria Martin, along with one-time council-at-large hopeful Kathy Plomin, and former First District councilwoman Andrea James were also in the mix.
While council races are nonpartisan, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports voting records show Hensley has registered as a Republican in the past.
Ed Lane passed away earlier this month from cancer.
