Magistrate Jackie Claycomb To Resign From Mercer County Fiscal Court
Jackie Claycomb is resigning from the Mercer County Fiscal Court, where he has represented District 3 for a decade. Claycomb’s last meeting will be the first meeting of 2025 (File image).
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
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Magistrate Jackie Claycomb is resigning from the Mercer County Fiscal Court. Claycomb’s resignation was announced at the fiscal court’s regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29.
“I make a motion we not accept this,” joked Magistrate Tim Darland.
Claycomb’s time representing District 3—which encompasses much of the west central part of Mercer County, including Talmage, McAfee, Ebenezer, and Jackson Pike to the railroad tracks—will end January 2025. Anyone interested in pursuing the vacated seat can contact Judge-Executive Sarah Steele.
“This has not been a sudden decision,” said Claycomb, who attributed the decision to ill health.
“If I felt better, I’d stay,” Claycomb said. “There ain’t no telling what’s happening tomorrow.”
Mercer County Magistrates Tim Darland and Jackie Claycomb confer with Judge-Executive Milward Dedman during a 2018 fiscal court meeting. (File image).
Claycomb has served on the fiscal court for more than 10 years. Originally from Campbellsville, he was working at Lee’s Famous Recipe by the age of 16. While serving in the National Guard, he moved to Harrodsburg to help run a new store as a member of the management team.
“I cooked the first piece of chicken ever served out of this store,” Claycomb told the Harrodsburg Herald earlier this year.
Even as he continued his military service with the U.S. Army, he would return to Harrodsburg every weekend to help run the restaurant. After leaving the military, Claycomb helped open an additional three stores across the state. He retired from the restaurant business after more than 40 years, selling the Harrodsburg Lee’s to his nephew, Jeff Claycomb.
During his time on the fiscal court, he has suffered from health issues, including heart attacks and neuropathy. His wife Ruth passed away at the beginning of the year. Claycomb said he enjoyed his time as a magistrate, especially since Steele’s election.
“The last two years have been very exciting,” Claycomb said. “In the last two years, there’s been more done than in my previous eight years.”
The Harrodsburg Herald/Robert Moore
Members of the Mercer County Fiscal Court observed COVID-19 social distancing protocols at a meeting in 2020. From left: Judge-Exercutive Milward Dedman, Magistrates Wayne Jackson and Ronnie Sims, Fiscal Court Clerk Missey Ellis, and Magistrates Jackie Claycomb, Donnie Webb and Dennis Holiday. Not pictured: Magistrate Tim Darland.
“Jackie has served his district well,” Steele said.
Claycomb will continue to serve as magistrate through the first meeting in January 2025.
Magistrate Susan Barrington moved to accept Claycomb’s resignation.
“I’ll make it second because I love you,” said Magistrate Darland. The motion passed unanimously.
