The start of 2023 will bring about some big changes in Franklin County government, as the newly elected judge-executive and magistrates are sworn in on Jan. 3 at the Franklin County Courthouse.
Judge-elect Michael Mueller sat down with The State Journal to talk about some of the goals he has set for his administration.
Soon to be Judge-Executive Michael Mueller during a meeting in 2019. (Bryan Reynolds | State Journal)
"I am excited to get started and I am excited to join the team in this capacity," Mueller said.
Mueller, who has served as 3rd District magistrate since 2018, announced his candidacy for the judge-executive office back in October 2021 and was pitted against two term incumbent Huston Wells in the democratic primary.
After defeating Wells and 1st District Constable Steve Shelton with 50% of the vote, Mueller went on to win the general election against Republican nominee, Ken Carroll with 56% of the vote in November.
Mueller campaigned on his experience as an entrepreneur, magistrate and chair of the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce. He also emphasized his plan to spur the county's economic development and improve the quality of life for citizens.
A native of Maryland, Mueller has a degree in horticulture from the University of Maryland and has been in Kentucky for more than 25 years working in landscape design and management.
In 2007, he and his wife, Andrea, started Inside Out Landscape Design out of their house. The company specializes in building outdoor spaces across central Kentucky.
Mueller said that throughout the last few years he has been slowly stepping back from his business in preparation for his new office, but he has picked up the pace since November.
"I am going to stay with our business as a consultant ... when needed," he said of his transition. "For day-to-day operations I will be downtown with the county government."
When asked what his goals are for the next few months, he said he is not looking to make any big changes in the immediate future.
"The one thing that I have realized over the years as a business owner, is that you are only as strong as your weakest link," he said. "So, for me when people say, 'Michael, what are you going to do first?' I want to get to know the team. I want to work with the county employees. I literally want to work with every department. I want to see who needs help, who is doing well."
As with most administrations, Mueller is coming into a fiscal court office with several vacant positions. He said that he and Jack Kennedy, his deputy judge-executive, are planning to analyze which positions are necessary and which ones can be restructured to be more effective.
One area Mueller is definitely set on improving is the communication between Franklin County and the city of Frankfort, noting that the two entities have not been in sync in decades.
To help bridge the gap, Mueller said that he and Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson will have two standing meetings every month.
"I also want to propose holding quarterly meetings between the city commission and the magistrates," Mueller said. "I think the left hand needs to know what the right hand is doing. Kind of like with the parks (departments). We have had a few meetings between the two, and I think they are starting to realize that if we build this and they build that, then we will have a regional draw and that will help everybody's economic development."
The plan to improve communication also extends to how he plans to tackle the issues surrounding the bourbon industry in Franklin County, particularly the relationship with Buffalo Trace Distillery.
Currently, Buffalo Trace Distillery is trying to get a text amendment that would allow for barrel warehouses to be built in county zones marked for agricultural and residential — a move that is meeting resistance from some members of the community.
Mueller said that he has had positive conversations with Mark Brown, the president and CEO of Sazerac, Buffalo Trace's parent company.
"I just told him that I don't think there has been enough communication between Buffalo Trace, or any bourbon distillery, and Franklin County," Mueller stated. "There really has not been enough conversation, so I told him that I would really love to sit down and talk and he said, 'my door is always open, I'm in Louisville.'"
Mueller noted that he plans to find out exactly what the bourbon industry needs and how to help that mesh with the forthcoming comprehensive plan.
Some other goals on Mueller's agenda include moving forward with the first phase of the plan to overhaul Lakeview Park, building a new facility for the county road department and figuring out what to do with the newly acquired 130 acres that was once the Duckers Lake Golf Resort.
Mueller is set to be sworn in during a ceremony on Tuesday at 11 a.m. along with several other elected county and city officials including the clerk, coroner, jailer and constables.
I and many others are keen for Michael Mueller and his administration to begin. I have faith that he will commence his first term as county judge executive by taking a close look at current functions and employees of the county's and determining if all are working toward goals set by the administration. I have read about outrageous conflicts of interest in appointments to commissions and have grown very concerned that some employees may not adhere to role as county government employees and instead believe they are self-appointed proponents of industry and business. I hope Michael Mueller is the man to change all this!
Note : Mark Brown can come to Franklin co . and talk - that’s where Sazerac wants to take our green space , my opinion. He wants to hide in his office in Louisville?
“Mueller stated. "There really has not been enough conversation, so I told him that I would really love to sit down and talk and he said, 'my door is always open, I'm in Louisville.'"
Yeah, that did NOT set well with me either. Who the heck does he think he is?
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I and many others are keen for Michael Mueller and his administration to begin. I have faith that he will commence his first term as county judge executive by taking a close look at current functions and employees of the county's and determining if all are working toward goals set by the administration. I have read about outrageous conflicts of interest in appointments to commissions and have grown very concerned that some employees may not adhere to role as county government employees and instead believe they are self-appointed proponents of industry and business. I hope Michael Mueller is the man to change all this!
All good !
Note : Mark Brown can come to Franklin co . and talk - that’s where Sazerac wants to take our green space , my opinion. He wants to hide in his office in Louisville?
“Mueller stated. "There really has not been enough conversation, so I told him that I would really love to sit down and talk and he said, 'my door is always open, I'm in Louisville.'"
Yeah, that did NOT set well with me either. Who the heck does he think he is?
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State-Journal.com’s comments forum is for civil, constructive dialogue about news topics in our community, state, nation and world. We emphasize “civil” at a time when Americans, in the words of the current president, need to “turn down the temperature” of political debates. The State Journal will do its part by more carefully policing this forum. Here are some rules that all commenters must agree to follow:
Absolutely no attacks on other commenters, on guest columnists or on authors of letters to the editor. Our print and online opinion pages are sacred marketplaces of ideas where diverse viewpoints are welcome without fear of retribution. You may constructively critique the ideas and opinions of others, but name-calling, stereotyping and similar attacks are strictly prohibited.
Leeway will be given for criticism of elected officials and other public figures, but civility is essential. If you focus your criticism on ideas, opinions and viewpoints, you will be less likely to run afoul of our commenting rules.
Keep comments focused on the article or commentary in question. Don’t use an article about the Frankfort City Commission, for example, to rant about national politics.
Hyperpartisanship that suggests anyone on the other side of an issue or anyone in a particular particular party is evil is not welcome. If you believe that all Democrats are socialists intent on destroying America or that all Republicans are racists, there are lots of places on the internet for you to espouse those views. State-Journal.com is not one.
No sophomoric banter. This isn’t a third-grade classroom but rather a place for serious consumers of news to offer their reactions and opinions on news stories and published commentary.
No consumer complaints about individual businesses. If you’ve had a bad experience with a private business or organization, contact the Better Business Bureau or the government agency that regulates that business. If you believe the actions of a private business are newsworthy, contact us at news@state-journal.com and we will consider whether news coverage is merited.
Absolutely no jokes or comments about a person’s physical appearance.
No promotion of commercial goods or services. Our outstanding staff of marketing consultants stands ready to help businesses with effective advertising solutions.
If you state facts that have not been previously reported by The State Journal, be sure to include the source of your information.
No attacks on State Journal staff members or contributing writers. We welcome questions about, and criticism of, our news stories and commentary but not of the writers who work tirelessly to keep their community informed. Corrections of inaccurate information in news stories should be sent to news@state-journal.com rather than posted in the comments section.