Christian County Clerk Mike Kem told fiscal court Tuesday morning that he won’t be seeking re-election in 2022.
Kem, first elected in 1998 after formerly serving as a magistrate, thanked county government for helping his office be a success as it’s changed and grown over the years on the first floor of the Christian County Courthouse.
Kem, a Democrat, says he’s received assurances a candidate he will support will soon announce a run to replace him.
Republican Erica Newby, who formerly worked for Kem for seven and a half years, has already said she’ll run next year.Meanwhile, Judge-Executive Steve Tribble and magistrates honored the recently-retired Rick Shanklin, who spent 37 years with the National Weather Service and 27 years as warning coordination meteorologist at the office in Paducah.
They thanked him for always looking out for Christian County and Shanklin says it was his honor to serve the area where he grew up in a position that was his dream job.
In other action, magistrates approved pay raises for all employees and new hires at the Christian County Animal Shelter and jail. Three employees at the Christian County Road Department also received pay increases.
Treasurer Walter Cummings says the recommendations came due to chronic under-staffing issues and studies of pay in similar-sized counties.
