Turner sworn in as KACo president

 LaRue County Judge/executive Tommy Turner was installed in November as president of the Kentucky Association of Counties.

LaRue County Judge/Executive Tommy Turner was sworn in as president of the KACo board of directors. Former KACo President John Wilson, Garrard County Judge/Executive, handed Judge Turner, left, the gavel, symbolic of the presidency of the Kentucky Association of Counties for 2013. Turner also served as KACo president in 1997. He is chairman of the KACo Legislative Committee and serves KACo's Executive Committee, Board of Directors, the KACo Leasing Trust program board, the KACo Insurance Agency and the KACo Finance Corporation.

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Outgoing President John Wilson, Garrard County Judge/executive, passed the gavel to Turner during a banquet in Louisville.

Formed in 1974, the Kentucky Association of Counties is a non-profit, non-partisan association representing the needs of county government in legislative matters, and offering a variety of services to promote the progress of county government. KACo serves all 120 counties of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Several hundred county and state officials attended the Nov. 28-30 conference.

Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson addressed the opening session Nov. 28. Also speaking at the conference were Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo, Majority Floor Leader Sen. Robert Stivers and several Cabinet officials.

One of the most important presentations at this year’s conference was the Nov. 29 panel discussion on public pensions. Retirement is a major concern for state government and county officials, and promises to be a main concentration for the 2013 General Assembly. Wilson moderated the panel of Sen. Damon Thayer and Rep. Mike Cherry, Public Pensions Task Force co-chairman; Bill Thielen, Kentucky Retirement System executive director; and Turner, KACo Legislative Chairman.