Audio: Boyle Magistrate Phil Sammons jokes about tourism director’s legs

Published 3:09 pm Thursday, September 12, 2019

This is a portion of The Advocate-Messenger’s recording of the Sept. 10, 2019, Boyle County Fiscal Court meeting.

During the recording, tourism director Jennifer Kirchner is presenting to the fiscal court about the local 3-percent transient room tax.

“I’m just here to acknowledge we do a 3-percent transient room tax for being an SPGE (special-purpose governmental agency) and also if you have any questions about our most recent financials, they’re on there as well,” Kirchner tells the court.

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While Treasurer Mary Conley is asking about Kirchner’s annual budget, Magistrate Phil Sammons and Danville Mayor Mike Perros exchange whispered comments, resulting in laughter from some who could hear them.

“Jennifer, they’re talking about you,” Magistrate John Caywood says. “I’d be careful.”

“Why?” Kirchner asks.

“Jennifer, I made a comment about you,” Sammons can be heard saying. “The mayor’s making fun of you.”

“I’m not making fun of her,” Perros says. “I said, ‘She didn’t have any socks.'”

“I said, ‘If he had legs like that, he wouldn’t have to wear socks,'” Sammons says, and people laugh.

“Listen — I’m a professional woman up here talking about tax rates, not to be objectified about my legs,” Kirchner says, as laughter continues. “I’m not joking. I’m not joking — at all.”

 

Sammons has since apologized privately to Kirchner and publicly with a letter to the editor. Perros has also written a letter to the editor apologizing. Boyle County Judge-Executive Howard Hunt said in a press conference Wednesday that he would be asking all county elected officials to participate in “diversity training” in Lexington in October.