Aaron Shirley, candidate for Barren County jailer, speaks to a crowd gathered inside the Barren County fiscal court room at the Barren County Government Center on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. Shirley revealed he plans to run for Barren County jailer again. He formerly ran in the 2018 primary election.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
GLASGOW, Ky. — Aaron Shirley announced Wednesday his intent to run for Barren County jailer. Shirley appeared on the 2018 primary ballot.
Shirley served as a court bailiff for three years. He later became a special deputy with the Barren County Sheriff’s Office, which is his current position.
Shirley is planning to run as a Republican candidate. Incumbent Aaron Bennett is also a Republican.
“I believe that the integrity of people’s money and people’s votes mean something to me,” Shirley said. “I believe in being a good steward of the citizens of Barren County and their tax dollars.”
The jail is often deemed a challenging operation due to its inability to operate within the constraints of the budget it’s provided. The Barren fiscal court, for example, approved a $90,129 budget transfer in January 2021 to cover deputy jailer salaries.
“I truly believe we could do something better with the jail and the finances,” Shirley said. “I truly believe that. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t run.”
An awkward exchange happened between Barren County Judge Executive Micheal Hale and incumbent Jailer Bennett in a Feb. 3 jail committee meeting. Hale said he never hears from Bennett regarding the jail’s finances.
“No disrespect, but we really need to talk to you,” Hale said. “We don’t get any communication from you whatsoever. We really need to talk to you because you’re ultimately responsible for this budget.”
Magistrate Trent Riddle asked Bennett in that meeting how often the two meet, and he said “never.”
Shirley said he desires to lead the jail’s finances in a “better” way. He cited his business experiences and his budgeting and fiscal insight.
“I’ve ran businesses. I know budgets. I know numbers,” Shirley said. “I have nothing against the man that’s in office now. No problems there. But I want to see things different.”
Shirley is a 1999 graduate of Metcalfe County High School. He was raised east of Barren County in the Center community. He is married to his wife, Annie, and the couple has two children, Raygen and Michael Thomas.
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