Duties of City and County officials
By PJ Martin
Editor
The Herald-News
Recently, someone asked me what a specific county office was responsible for. So, to better understand the duties of our elected officials, we have compiled a basic summary of each job.
Judge/Executive
The judge/executive is the chief executive of the county and has the primary responsibility for the administration of the county government. He/she is responsible for executing the ordinances, resolutions, and contracts entered into by the fiscal court.
County Clerk
The duties entail recording and keeping various legal records, registering and purging voter rolls, conducting election duties, and conducting delinquent tax duties. Register motor vehicles within the county, produce vehicle certificates of registration in their office and certificates of title in Frankfort, sell hunting and fishing licenses, and issue marriage licenses.
County Attorney
County attorneys serve as legal counsel for the county government, attend and conduct all business of the fiscal court, and conduct all civil actions pertaining to the rights or interests of the county.
Property Valuation Administrator
He/she must assess all property within the county, prepare property assessment records, and perform other duties relating to assessment as the law or the Department of Revenue may prescribe.
Coroner
When determining the cause of death, the coroner may enter the property; seize evidence; interrogate persons; and require the production of medical records, documents, or evidence. The coroner may impound vehicles involved in fatal accidents, investigate, and photograph items pertaining to the cause of death.
Sheriff
Duties fall under 4 categories: tax collection, election duties, services to courts, and law enforcement. They enforce all laws, serve subpoenas, warrants, summonses, EPOs, and orders of the court, patrol all public roads in the county, investigate all accidents and wrecks, inspect vehicles, and collect property taxes for the state, county, and school districts.
Jailer
The jailer provides transportation and guards prisoners to and from the court, jail, and medical care. Occasionally, the jailer is responsible for transporting federal prisoners for the state. Monthly reporting must be done to fiscal court and the Department of Corrections.
Magistrate
Magistrates are members of the fiscal court and can appropriate county funds for lawful purposes, buy and sell county property, and supervise the fiscal affairs of the county and county officers. The fiscal court is responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of county buildings, roads, and other property, and the incarceration of prisoners.
Magistrates possess no administrative or executive power concerning county government when outside fiscal court; however, they may perform marriages when authorized by the governor or their county judge/executive.
Constable
Constables are peace officers with powers to arrest and the authority to serve warrants, summonses, subpoenas, attachments, notices, rules, and orders of the court in all criminal, penal, and civil cases.
Mayor
The mayor presides over meetings of the city council, enforces city ordinances, orders, and statutes, supervises all departments of city government, all city officers and employees, requires each department to make reports to him, executes all bonds, notes, contracts, and written obligations of the city, and oversees the continuation of the functions of the city government.
City Council Member
Members are responsible for the legislative functions of the city, creating ordinances, developing policies, establishing the overall direction of the city, and providing general direction to the mayor.
Soil and Water Conservation District
He/she is must assist landowners, serving as coordinators for conservation in the field, implement farm, ranch, and forestland conservation practices to protect soil productivity, water quality and quantity, air quality, and wildlife habitat, conserve and restore wetlands, which purify water and provide habitat for birds, fish, and other animals.
Data collected for this information, pertaining to KRS, was sourced at: www.lawserver.com, www.lawserver.com, https://kydlgweb.ky.gov, www.ksba.org, https://legislature.ky.gov/LRC/Publications/Informational%20Bulletins/ib114.pdf, and
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/chapter.aspx?id=37868
