MAGISTRATES
What is County Government?
Ordinances and Resolutions for Hardin County government are adopted by nine elected members of the county’s ‘Fiscal Court.’ The Fiscal Court, under the Kentucky Constitution of 1891, is the name given to the county legislature and governing body of each of the counties in Kentucky. Despite the name, it no longer has any responsibility for judicial proceedings.
The Fiscal Court is made up of 8 Magistrates, the County Judge/Executive, and 2 non-voting members. In Hardin County, the County Attorney and the County Clerk serve as the two non-voting members.
The title “County Judge/Executive” is a blending of the past and the present, going back to a time when a person elected to this position also presided over judicial proceedings. Now, the Judge/Executive is responsible for the day-to-day operation of county government and does not oversee any legal proceedings. In essence, the Judge/Executive serves as the chief executive officer of the county and is responsible for the organization and management of the administrative functions of county government. The Fiscal Court sets the county’s policies and priorities. The Judge/Executive must execute these policies and priorities. The statute provides only general guidance as to the form and substance of a county’s internal administrative organization.
Magistrates, (also known as justices of the peace, or in a county that has adopted a commission form of government, county commissioners) serve as members of the fiscal court and conduct the business of the county on behalf of their district’s citizens. Magistrates are elected from eight different districts in Hardin County for four-year terms of office.
Hardin County Fiscal Court meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 3:30pm and the fourth Tuesday of each month beginning at 5:30pm. Both meetings are held in the Fiscal Court room on the 3rd floor of the Hardin County Government Center. Live streaming, and previously recorded meetings, can be viewed on our YouTube channel Hardin County Government (HCGO).
