Public administrators push for reforms

April 19, 2019 at 4:07 a.m. | Updated April 19, 2019 at 4:09 a.m.

For the first known time since the establishment of the office in the state of Missouri in 1880, a majority of public administrators met Thursday at the Capitol for a lobby day where they met with legislators and each other. During a gathering in the Senate Lounge, Missouri Association of Public Administrators President Carol Johnson, of Dallas County, foreground right, presented Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, second from right, with their Legislator of the Year Award for her work on and sponsorship of Senate Bill 230. Standing to the left of Crawford are Charlie Ackerman and Steve Farmer, co-chairs of MAPA's legislative committee. Cole County Public Administrator Joe Kuensting was in attendance at the day's events.
For the first known time since the establishment of the office in the state of Missouri in 1880, a majority of public administrators met Thursday at the Capitol for a lobby day where they met with legislators and each other. During a gathering in the Senate Lounge, Missouri Association of Public Administrators President Carol Johnson, of Dallas County, foreground right, presented Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, second from right, with their Legislator of the Year Award for her work on and sponsorship of Senate Bill 230. Standing to the left of Crawford are Charlie Ackerman and Steve Farmer, co-chairs of MAPA's legislative committee. Cole County Public Administrator Joe Kuensting was in attendance at the day's events.

The office of public administrator may be the least known elected office in county government, but the work they do affects more than 11,000 Missourians, legislators were told Thursday.

More than 100 public administrators came to the Capitol on Thursday to talk with lawmakers about revising laws to help them do their jobs better.

By law, a public administrator's primary responsibility is to be the guardian for those the courts determine are in need of assistance, whether it's an aging resident, a disabled person, the mentally ill, the developmentally disabled, and those who suffer from brain injury, dementia or Alzheimer's.

According to Missouri law, the duty of a public administrator is to take charge and custody of the estates of all deceased persons, and the person and estates of all minors and incapacitated people when circumstances demand it.

Carol Johnson, who is public administrator for Dallas County and head of the Missouri Association of Public Administrators, said public administrators have been coming to the Capitol the last three to four years. This year had the biggest turnout, she said.

"Many of the statutes that affect our office have not been changed since the 1980s," Johnson said. "We started with a few pieces, and we've been building from there."

This year, public administrators are supporting Senate Bill 230, which would modify current law concerning guardians or conservators of a minor or incapacitated or disabled person.

"We are county based, and the person we work with should be from our county," Johnson said. "But unfortunately because of the mental health system or the criminal system, they get pushed to other counties. Then that county becomes responsible for that person. That's not where the person belongs.

"If they lived in Dallas County and unfortunately are in a mental health facility in Fulton, then I should still be taking care of them because their family is still in Dallas County. That's what 230 would allow us to do."

Johnson said SB 230, which is sponsored by state Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, passed the Senate and has made it out of a House committee. It awaits review by the full House.

Johnson said she believes it will pass.

Upcoming Events