Platte County Government 101

Platte County is a first-class county.  That's not a statement but a fact.  How can I make such a bold and arrogant statement?

It's a first-class county because the Missouri Revised State Statutes state so.  All counties are classified from first to fourth class depending on the set of criteria based below:

• Classification of counties into four classes for purpose of organization and power--classification, how determined--annual increase to assessed valuation, amount.
• All counties of this state are hereby classified, for the purpose of establishing organization and powers in accordance with the provisions of section 8, article VI, Constitution of Missouri, into four classifications determined as follows:
• Classification 1. All counties having an assessed valuation of nine hundred million dollars and over shall automatically be in the first classification after that county has maintained such valuation for the time period required by section 48.030; however, any county of the second classification which, on August 28, 2010, has had an assessed valuation of at least six hundred million dollars for at least one year may, by resolution of the governing body of the county, elect to be classified as a county of the first classification after it has maintained such valuation for the period of time required by the provisions of section 48.030.
• Classification 2. All counties having an assessed valuation of six hundred million dollars and less than the assessed valuation necessary for that county to be in the first classification shall automatically be in the second classification after that county has maintained such valuation for the time period required by section 48.030.
• Classification 3. All counties having an assessed valuation of less than the assessed valuation necessary for that county to be in the second classification shall automatically be in the third classification.
• Classification 4. All counties which have attained the second classification prior to August 13, 1988, and which would otherwise return to the third classification after August 13, 1988, because of changes in assessed valuation shall remain a county in the second classification and shall operate under the laws of this state applying to the second classification.

The classification of the county has an impact on its required elected and appointed officials.  Article 6 of the Missouri Constitution has all of the state laws regarding local governments.  Chapter 49 of the Missouri Revised Statutes dictate the number of commissioners and what powers they have or don't have.  Like the majority of counties in Missouri, Platte County is governed by three County Commissioners.

Platte County has one "at-large" commissioner who represents the county as a whole which currently is Commissioner Jason Brown who was elected to a 4 year term in 2010 after serving as a State Representative for 8 years in Jefferson City.  The County has two commissioners who represent half of the County.  Commissioner Kathy Dusenberry represents the "south" district of the County and was elected in 2008 after serving as Mayor of Parkville.  Commissioner Jim Plunket represents the "north" district of the County and was elected in 2004 while managing a local small business.  He is retiring this year.

You can look at this map to see if you are represented by Commissioner Dusenberry or Commissioner Plunkett.  These are partisan seats and primary contests are held in August with the winners of each party's primary facing each other in November.