Beech Tree News Network

Local Service: Honoring 70 Years

The Office of Magistrate or Commissioner is difficult to define. Perhaps it is because the offices do not get as much attention as those on a state and federal level. Maybe it’s because the titles come from a more antiquated time. Most likely, though, is because it is difficult to put a definition on an office that does so much.

In 1792, upon approval of statehood, the framers of our constitution wisely recognized that the Commonwealth is too big and too diverse to be governed solely from a central location. Borrowing from the English traditions they knew well, the office of magistrate was created.

The office would have much variety. The General Assembly gave each county the flexibility to choose how many magistrates would serve, as long as it fit within the range of three and eight. Each county also decided if they should be elected by district or the county at-large. Lastly, as the office evolved, some took on a commission form of government, leading to the term commissioner.  For the most part, the roles magistrates and commissioners play today are of such similarity that the terms are used interchangeably.

From the onset, the office held many obligations, including the dual role of both judicial and legislative functions. As our world shrunk through improvements in transportation and education, the role of the magistrate would change as well.  After the constitutional reforms of 1973, the judicial role went to the newly created district judges and the magistrates and commissioners were able to focus solely on their legislative and fiscal duties.

Seventy years ago in April of 1952, a visionary group of magistrates and commissioners, recognized the challenges of regionalism in Kentucky and knew that it held us back. In response, the Kentucky Magistrates and Commissioners Association was founded. That organization, stronger today than ever, has stayed true to its mission to encourage a closer relationship between the magistrates and commissioners from across the breadth of the Commonwealth, to promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs, and to aid in legislation that allows fiscal courts to better operate in service to their counties.

Fixtures in the halls of Frankfort, the Kentucky Magistrates and Commissioners Association has been a stalwart advocate for county government for decades. To a person, the KMCA has had the ear of every governor dating back to Happy Chandler, as well as literally thousands of members of the Kentucky General Assembly.  Both members and staff of the association are frequently called on to testify as experts on pending legislation.

The magistrates and commissioners of this state truly are experts, because no office is as close to the people it represents. That provides them unique opportunities as well as obstacles, but also leads to the challenge of defining a role that can be so varied.

On any given week, a magistrate might be the person the local farmer calls about  a washed out bridge. Or a commissioner will have someone reach out to them about an economic development project. Maybe they have someone stop by their place of work to talk about salting the roads during wintry weather. Maybe it’s working on expanding broadband access to the more rural areas. All of this happens while they craft multimillion dollar budgets for their counties. Not one other office in all of government faces the variety of issues our magistrates and commissioners do on a near daily basis.

The men and women who serve in these roles wear a plethora of hats. They are expected to be economists, meteorologists, architects, attorneys, agriculturalists, statesmen and a list that goes on seemingly forever. And yet, they do it with a smile on their face.  It’s not for the wealth, the fame or the glory, because, ask any of them who serve, those will likely never be found.

No, the magistrates and commissioners of this state serve for other reasons. To a one, they seek the office because they love where they live and want to find ways for them to improve. They are our friends. They are our neighbors. They are the men and women who lead, albeit often quietly and without seeking recognition.

They are Kentuckians.

By: Tommy Druen, Syndicated Columnist.  He is a 10th-generation Kentuckian who resides in Scott County.