Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton Resigns

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

PRESTONSBURG —Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton issued a statement at a special meeting last week announcing his resignation from the post, saying that his life has been changed by injuries he suffered in a fall from his roof.

A former city employee who worked at the Mountain Arts Center since 2001, alleged in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that Stapleton, subjected her to unwanted sexual advances, touching and comments and that he requested sexual favors with which she said she felt compelled to comply.

The woman claimed in the lawsuit that Stapleton touched her without her consent, exposed himself, engaged in sexual acts and subjected her to a hostile work environment before she was discharged from her job.

The Floyd County Chronicle & Times said in a Facebook post that Stapleton said in his statement to the city council that he’s suffered “life-altering” injuries and the suit has “absolutely zero bearing” on his decision to resign.

Stapleton has been Mayor of the city of Prestonsburg since 2014, and in lieu of his resignation, the council appointed three term Prestonsburg city councilman Rick Hughes as interim Mayor of Prestonsburg.