County Judge Executive

A County Judge/Executive is typically the head of a county’s executive branch and a part of the county’s governing body (the fiscal court, which passes laws and budgets for a county).

However, because Lexington has a merged city/county government, much of this responsibility is passed to Council, the Mayor, and boards and commissions. But the Fayette County Judge/Executive still has a few responsibilities:

  • Fill vacancies in the office of Sheriff, Coroner, Surveyor, County Clerk, County Attorney, Jailer and Property Valuation Administrator

  • Help advise on some roads funded under the State Rural Secondary Highway Fund and the State Rural Highway Fund 

  • Impose, collect, and asses property taxes that are for public schools as specified by the Fayette County School District

This is a Democratic candidate primary, so you will only vote in this race if you are registered as a Democrat.

Candidates are: Mary Diane McCord Hanna / Sean Pickard

Mary Diane McCord Hanna

Mary Diane McCord Hanna is the President of the Old Richmond Road Neighborhood Association, owner and property manager at Fully Furnished Rental Properties, and manager at Silvacola Farm. She has an educational background in Dental Hygiene and Business and Family Economics and was elected the office of County Judge/Executive in 2022.

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Vote Local Questionnaire responses:

Candidate responses have not been edited.

  • I have a BS from both the University of Kentucky (Home Economics MGT, cum laude) and East Tennessee State University (Dental Hygiene, summa cum laude). I do art & calligraphy, formerly did design work including making window treatments, dust ruffles, shams, pillows, sometimes quilts. I run Silvacola Farm and have bees, breed Black Angus cattle, have hens and sell eggs and have a rooster. I also own and rent some fully furnished properties.

  • I 've held this office 1-4-23. Multiple faceted, it includes selecting some of the Tax Board of Appeals members, swearing all of them into office, being on the Metropolitan Planning Organization, being a member of the Bluegrass Area District Development, being the primary person who administers a scholarship for Fayette County School Students, being head of Fiscal Court which debates & prioritizes the repaving & repairing of "country roads", appointing certain others to office if needed.

  • Lack of money for road repair and repaving, trying to protect the roads in the rural areas from urban sprawl & development, people spreading rumors that my office is in charge of snow removal (it is not), narrowing down scholarship applicants to only 3 who will receive the scholarship each year,

  • Safer streets and roads for pedestrians, bikers and drivers, finding a way to repave country roads more often (but $800,000-$900,000 per year purchases almost nothing with regard to roads), good communication with officials of neighboring counties, continuing to have great people volunteer for the Tax Road of Appeals. Thank you ALL who have said YES to my request!

  • Participating in local government is hard by almost any standard. Attending multiple meetings, finding parking downtown to attend the meetings, inserting yourself into various processes takes initiative & determination because it is much easier to not get involved and let someone else do it. I don't think anything I can do makes it easier for people to get involved in local government but I do encourage those who have road problems to speak their mind and come to Fiscal Court meetings.

 

Sean (Mike) Pickard

Sean (Mike) Pickard has been a teacher in Lexington since 1999 and ran for the Kentucky House 45th District in the 2020 Democratic Primary race. This is his second run for this office, the first time he ran for Fayette County Judge/Executive was in the 2022 Democratic Primary.

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Campaign Finances:

Vote Local Questionnaire responses have not yet been received