Richard D. Walje
KY · Vanceburg City Council Member
Vanceburg City Council member and local realtor who earlier sat on the city's Board of Adjustments. He has pushed to revive downtown and to keep city land on Halbert Avenue for a park for kids on the south end.
Where Richard D. Walje stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (2 records), Public Infrastructure (1 record)
Opposes
Government Spending Reduction (4 records)
Mixed record
Government Efficiency (1 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 1 support · 1 oppose
Voted against having city finances reviewed at every council meeting. The motion failed 2-3.
May 5, 2025Opposes Government Efficiency
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Voted for having the city record council meetings for the public, saying he wanted the public to trust city government. It failed after a 3-3 tie and the mayor's no vote.
April 7, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 4 oppose
Moved to raise volunteer firefighter pay per fire call to $30, and to $55 for the chief and assistant chief. It passed 5-1.
March 2, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Voted to raise the mayor's salary. The vote tied 3-3 and the mayor broke the tie for the raise.
February 2, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to give the county 911 dispatch center $22,500 for one year, $1,875 a month. It passed 4-2.
August 4, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to approve the city's 2025-26 budget. It passed 4-2.
June 19, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 2 support
Moved to raise volunteer firefighter pay per fire call to $30, and to $55 for the chief and assistant chief. It passed 5-1.
March 2, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to give the county 911 dispatch center $22,500 for one year, $1,875 a month. It passed 4-2.
August 4, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Pushed to keep the city's Halbert Avenue lot and make it a park for children on the south end, and voted to pause its sale. The pause failed after a 3-3 tie and the mayor's no vote.
June 1, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — General
General · 10 records
Voted against putting the unsold Halbert Avenue lot up for sale again. The motion passed 3-2.
September 14, 2026
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Cast the only vote against the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Ready Community certification resolution. It passed 5-1.
July 20, 2026
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Acted as unpaid realtor for the city's sale of the George Morgan Thomas House. A fellow member called it a conflict; the mayor and city attorney said there was no issue.
December 1, 2025
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to sell the city's 1966 fire truck and the historic George Morgan Thomas House visitor center at a surplus sale. It passed 6-0.
November 3, 2025
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to appoint Joe Billman as mayor after Mayor Dane Blankenship resigned. It passed 4-2, after he voted no on naming Nichole Cantu.
October 15, 2025
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to form a Downtown Assessment Committee to look at run-down downtown buildings. It passed 6-0.
October 6, 2025
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Abstained when the council let the mayor buy a property agreed on in a closed session. The other five members voted yes.
March 3, 2025
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Won a seat on the Vanceburg City Council with 208 votes, the second-highest total among 11 candidates.
November 5, 2024
Source: elect.ky.gov
Was appointed by the Vanceburg City Council to the city Ethics Board, for a term ending July 2026. The vote was 5-0.
July 3, 2023
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Finished 12th of 16 candidates for six Vanceburg City Council seats, with 78 votes.
November 8, 2022
Source: elect.ky.gov
Past race Richard D. Walje ran in:
- Mayor · November 3, 2026 · Vanceburg city, Kentucky