Could Kentucky get rid of county clerks?

[75center]

Forget County clerks, let's get rid of some darn counties!

[Jim Schue]

Forget County clerks, let's get rid of some darn counties!

 

Seriously. We need like half as many as we have now.

[se7ens]

Jailer and definitely constable. All positions that not all counties need, and yes, a reduction in counties would be a huge, enormous cost saver. The reason I say jailer is we have counties that have the required jailer without having jails. The fact that we have a judge exec and a set of commissioners for each county is mind blowing if you think about the waste accrued by their salaries.

 

The coroner is another one that can be eliminated. The coroner doesn't have any constitutional duties that require that individual have the actual medical trainer so medical examiners are contracted by the county to perform the actual work while the coroners themselves are administrative. Get rid of the coroners, have the medical examiners work under the authority of the sheriff.

 

County clerks need to stay. Their office does a lot of work that really wouldn't fall in the scope of any other office.

 

By the way, while we are talking about government waste at the county level in Kentucky, can you name the three counties with both a county police and a sheriff's department?

[Jim Schue]

I believe Oldham Co. and Boone Co. are two of them.

[Jumper_Dad]

Some small counties with limited funding actually count on Constables to answer calls and back up other officers. I can see how bigger counties and cities would need them though. Some constables are pretty squared away and do a great job some side around in rusted out 1996 Crown Vic with a tobacco stain down the front of their shirt looking to use their Authoriti.

 

Jailer could be eliminated in counties without jails, but in larger counties the jail would stiffen the Sheriff's department budget if the Sheriff had to run both. You would see reduced deputies on the road, longer response times and a more dangerous atmosphere for officers on the road. Granted the LARGEST counties would be fine as they have the tax base to run both with no problem, but outside of the metro areas it would be a bad idea IMO.

 

The County Clerk's job is to oversee licensing (except for Drivers license) in each county for the state and to ensure it is accounted for correctly and the fees are distributed correctly. The County Clerk is also the person/office that certifies the election in each county.

 

If the County Clerk was absolved you would have an appointee of the Judge overseeing the elections and the collection of a vast amount of fees. That's where the separation or lack thereof would be a problem.

[halfback20]

I believe Oldham Co. and Boone Co. are two of them.

 

Boone county merged their sheriff's office and county police.

 

Kenton and Campbell still have both, I think.

[kygirl]

Looks to me like in a case where the county clerk doesn't do their job, the deputy clerks do fine without them. In those cases the deputy clerks would be under the supervision of judge executive until the next election. Totally agree about too many counties. The other thing that should be looked at is nepotism. It baffles me how family members can work in the same office. Something needs to make it clear if you can't, won't or don't do any duty which you hold an office for then either resign or be removed from office by the Governor.

[Jumper_Dad]

Here is something that blows me away...Whistle Blower Laws DO NOT cover City Employees. City was audited by the State Auditors office and 20 or so issues were found, the most disturbing was that all employees refused to talk to the auditors or help them in some cases fearing retribution from the Mayor. Even though the city has a policy in place all feared for their jobs without state whistle blower protection. Auditors left with only the 20 or so proven issues and many more they suspected but could not get verification from city employees about because they in many cases involved actions by the mayor.

[PepRock01]

Forget County clerks' date=' let's get rid of some darn counties![/quote']

 

That would make this state so much more efficient

[PepRock01]

I think the reduction of the nimber of counties would be a great first step for KY to start tackling the absurd level of its good ol' boy system.

[plantmanky]

I believe Oldham Co. and Boone Co. are two of them.

 

Kenton Co does. Boone does not anymore.

[Jim Schue]

Some small counties with limited funding actually count on Constables to answer calls and back up other officers. I can see how bigger counties and cities would need them though. Some constables are pretty squared away and do a great job some side around in rusted out 1996 Crown Vic with a tobacco stain down the front of their shirt looking to use their Authoriti.

 

Jailer could be eliminated in counties without jails, but in larger counties the jail would stiffen the Sheriff's department budget if the Sheriff had to run both. You would see reduced deputies on the road, longer response times and a more dangerous atmosphere for officers on the road. Granted the LARGEST counties would be fine as they have the tax base to run both with no problem, but outside of the metro areas it would be a bad idea IMO.

 

The County Clerk's job is to oversee licensing (except for Drivers license) in each county for the state and to ensure it is accounted for correctly and the fees are distributed correctly. The County Clerk is also the person/office that certifies the election in each county.

 

If the County Clerk was absolved you would have an appointee of the Judge overseeing the elections and the collection of a vast amount of fees. That's where the separation or lack thereof would be a problem.

 

Seems to me that whatever is budgeted for the Jailer's office could be rolled over into the Sheriff's budget and that would avoid any concerns about taking deputies off the road. It would be silly to expect the Sheriff's office in every county to absorb those duties without getting a bump in budget to account for the man hours required to perform the Jailer's task.

[SportsGuy41017]

Looks to me like in a case where the county clerk doesn't do their job, the deputy clerks do fine without them.

 

Maybe this is what they were getting at? Have the officer and employees, but save 80K per county per year and get rid of the elected county clerk?

 

Jim, I just got back home and I'll have to read about the constable job, I actually know one so Ill have to ask him about how many livestock he has castrated, I did not know that until you mentioned it.

[LIPTON BASH]

I think we are on to something about eliminating counties. As someone who loves the idea of shrinking government. I mean I get great joy thinking about it. I do feel separating it's duties from other elected offices makes sense for separation of powers.

 

There is a lot more waste in local government that should be addressed first.

[SportsGuy41017]

Wait a minute, we have about 40 counties in KY that have jailers, but no jail?