Luann Ridgeway

Barbara Luann Ridgeway is a citizen-legislator and an attorney. A Republican, she served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives and Senate. Ridgeway currently serves as the Eastern District Commissioner of Clay County, Missouri.

Barbara Luann Ridgeway
In office
1992–2002

Biography

Ridgeway was born and raised in Moberly, Missouri. She attended William Woods University and Westminster College, Missouri. Ridgeway received the prestigious Presidential Scholars Award while attending Williams Woods University. She received a BA degree with Magna Cum Laude honors at William Woods University with a double major in political science and history. She received her JD degree at University of Missouri-Kansas City, and also studied at American University and Oxford University.

Ridgeway served as a Baptist Home Missionary to New Harvest Church (St. Joseph, Missouri) for several years before returning as a pianist to her home church (Mount Zion Baptist Church, Edgerton, Missouri). She is a member of the Missouri Farm Bureau, the Kiwanis Club (past president), the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri County Bar Association, the Clay County Bar Association, the Missouri Baptist Theological Seminary Board of Regents and the William Woods University Board of Trustees.

Ridgeway resides in rural Clay County, just north of Smithville, Missouri. She operated her own general-practice law firm in Smithville for several years before entering public service. She married Dr. Richard Ridgeway in 1984. She is currently serving her second four-year term (elected in 2012 and 2016) as the Eastern District Commissioner of Clay County, Missouri.

Political career

Ridgeway was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1992, and served there until 2002. While in the House, she served on the House Judiciary Committee and was Ranking Member of that committee from 1995-2002. She was elected to the Missouri State Senate in 2004 and 2008. She was elected Majority Caucus Chair by fellow senators. She served as the Chair of the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules; was the Vice Chair of the following committees: Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics; Small Business and Insurance; and, served on the following committees: Appropriations, Commerce, Energy and the Environment and the Joint Committee on Capital Improvements.

In 2012, Ridgeway was elected to a four-year term as the Eastern District Commissioner of Clay County, Missouri with 63.49% of the vote.

In 2016, Ridgeway was re-elected to a four-year term as the Eastern District Commissioner of Clay County, Missouri with 61.7% of the vote.

In 2019, the Clay County Commission was found by Judge Daren Adkins to have intentionally underfunded the Sheriff's department by $1,000,000 and ordered to pay the department that sum. The judge stated he did not find any legal deficiencies in the 2018 budget, and the Sheriff's 2019 budget was at least $200,000 more than was budgeted in 2018. The Sheriff has the authority to reallocate funds once given by the Commission. The judges decision is currently (as of Nov 2019) being appealed.

The Missouri State Auditor is auditing the County at the request of a citizen's petition.[1]

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References
  1. https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article234519322.html
  • Official Manual, State of Missouri, 2005-2006. Jefferson City, Missouri:Secretary of State.
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