Magistrate Salary Increase | Funding For Emergency Medical Training at Fiscal Court Meeting

Henderson, Ky 4/26/22 – The Henderson County Fiscal Court voted unanimously Tuesday to raise the Magistrate and Coroner salary from $17,212.00 to $25,000.00, stating Henderson is one of the lowest paying counties in the surrounding area.

After a lengthy discussion, Magistrate Charles McCollom said since he is not running for re-election this year, he would begin the voting and make the motion to raise the almost 40 year old salary from $17k. Magistrates noted the salary has not been changed since 1982 and other than an expense allowance in 1988, the topic has not been discussed. The new salary of $25k will not take effect until the new magistrates take office in 2023.

Magistrate Keith Berry pointed out that the position of Magistrate and Coroner in Henderson County is just not very attractive when needing people to run in an election for the positions because the salary is so low. Many surrounding counties, some with even lower population than Henderson, have higher salaries for Magistrates and Coroners in their counties.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH TUESDAY’S HENDERSON FISCAL COURT MEETING

Magistrate Butch Puttman says Henderson is one of the lowest salaries around with Daviess County paying almost $61k to Magistrates and $84k to their Coroners; Union County paying their Magistrates and Coroners $19,248; McClean County paying Magistrates $11,900 and Coroners $8k; and Webster running around $13k.

Funding For Juneteenth Approved by City and County | Board of Commissioners
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In other business, the Magistrates voted to pay an Instructor Fee for the county volunteer fire departments as they have began putting together an Emergency Medical Responder Course for firefighters in Henderson County. According to Nick Risley, Fire Chief of Spottsville Community Fire Department, the class would help every volunteer fire department in Henderson County in one way or another by adding as many as 15 (or more) medically trained first responders to our county. Magistrate McCollom also suggested paying reimbursement for the student fee of $262 per student for any student who passes the course and becomes an EMR Responder in Henderson County. Risley says they currently have approx 14 students already interested in the course which is tentatively schedule to begin in June.

The Henderson County Fiscal Court also approved $2,500 in one-time funding to help launch a community Juneteenth celebration that will take place June 19th in Central Park. The funding matched the amount also approved Tuesday by the City of Henderson Board of Commissioners at their meeting. The Juneteenth celebration is a collaboration of a Henderson Leadership Initiative project group, the Henderson-Henderson County Human Rights Commission, the Henderson Community College diversity program office and the local NAACP.

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