John Lake
Presiding Commissioner
573-248-8791
Brian Hodges
Western District Commissioner
573-473-4384
Junior Muehring
Eastern District Commissioner
(H) 573-221-6170
(C) 573-822-2263
The County Commission consists of three County Commissioners elected from two districts equal in population as possible by natural geographic boundaries. The Presiding Commissioner is elected by the county at large, and the Associate Commissioners are elected from their respective districts. Both the Presiding and the Associate Commissioners serve for four years per election.
**Commissioners meet on Monday and Thursday from 9 am – Noon in the County Clerks Office**
Responsibilities and Duties of the County Commission
The County Commission manages all aspects of county government not assigned by law to other elected officials. The Ralls County Commission is responsible for construction, maintenance and improvement of all buildings, roads, bridges and equipment of the county. They grant easements over county roads. The Commission appoints Ralls County residents to serve on local service boards. One of the Commissioners’ most important functions is budgetary. Budgets prepared for each of the various county offices must be approved by the Commission. It is the only body that can make decisions on behalf of all county government. Other elected county office holders, who are independently elected throughout the county, have authority in their functional areas. The other officers of the county are independently elected from the entire county.
The County Commission has the power and authority to acquire by purchase, lease or receive by donation any improved or unimproved real estate, and may also institute proceedings in the name of the county to condemn land or other property when agreement cannot be reached between the county and property owners for public purpose projects.
Although the Ralls County Commission administers most of the county business, it has little legislative authority. The Commission serves as liaison for the county between other local units of government, regional bodies, state and federal agencies. The Missouri General Assembly is the county legislative body. This results in little policy-making authority for the County Commission.
