Warren County Commissioners Dan Hampson and Hubie Kluesner left office Dec. 31 after 12 years of public service, closing their time overseeing growth, challenge and change.

Hampson and Kluesner were first elected as members of the county’s three-person governing commission in 2008.

Hampson, a business and real estate owner and former tradesman, said his initial involvement with politics was as a member of the local Republican committee, helping other people get elected.

“I worked to get people elected that I felt were best, never dreaming that I would run for office,” Hampson commented. “But I always felt ... if you don’t get involved, who will? And the opportunity came that I could retire from what I was doing and come work for the county as a commissioner.”

Kluesner, a farmer by trade, first volunteered on the county’s planning and zoning committee. He ran for office to see if there was more he could do to make a difference in the area.

Coming into government for the first time was a huge eye opener, Kluesner said. Operating a government comes with a lot more rules and constraints than a private business, especially with legal restrictions on how the county government can use its money.

“There are funds you have no control over that have a significant amount of money in them. Those are funds that are dedicated by state statute, so your hands are tied behind your back,” Kluesner explained.

The timing of their first election also greatly impacted their time in office.

“Coming into office in 2009 was a shock. ... In 2009 we were in the middle of this massive recession,” Hampson said. “We had to make massive cuts over the next two or three years to make the budget work. ... I feel like somebody who’s been through the Depression.”

Since those early years, the county’s finances have improved significantly. Recent years have been some of the county’s best for tax revenue. But starting during a downturn left a lasting impression on the commissioners, and conservative budgeting is a practice they’ve tried to impart on the commissioners succeeding them.

“It’s easy to run government when things are running along fine. But when you’re slashing, that’s tough,” Hampson said.

Over the years, Hampson and Kluesner worked with three different presiding commissioners to oversee construction of a new administration building on Highway 47, paved dozens of miles of roads, convinced MoDOT to straighten and safen Highway 47 at Hopewell Hill, among many other projects. Most recently, the commission rebuilt a section of the county courthouse and jail to expand inmate capacity,  and successfully passed a new sales tax to support county law enforcement. Kluesner said one of the early accomplishments he’s also proud of is negotiating a contract to purchase and store fuel that saved a lot of tax dollars.

“I think I paid for my salary many times,” Kluesner commented.

In the course of operating a government, the commissioners inevitably encountered frustrations. Explaining government limitations to complaining residents, including that some responsibilities lie with other levels of government, was a frequent challenge, the commissioners said.

Sometimes, the challenge was to find a middle ground between groups of residents or businesses who have very different ideas about what growth and change should look like in the county. Managing new growth in a way that serves the needs of current residents is one of the commission’s ongoing responsibilities, Hampson said.

But for every frustrating interaction, they said it was fulfilling to try to meet the needs of diverse county residents.

“Once you’ve got your hands wrapped around it, and you get involved in things ... pretty soon you’ve got a passion for what you’re doing,” Kluesner said. “I feel passionate about keeping the county moving forward. There’s always projects that are going to need your attention.”

Hampson and Kluesner said they ran for re-election in 2012 and 2016 because they became involved in projects they wanted to see through. Their last day in office was Dec. 31, 2020, when new Northern District Commissioner Matt Flake and Southern District Commissioner Tom Meyer were officially sworn in. Flake and Meyer have been attending the commission’s discussions since being elected in the fall.

The former commissioners’ advice for their successors? “You got two ears and one mouth. Use the ears,” Kluesner said. “You’ve got to do a lot of listening and a lot of reading.”

After life in government, Kluesner will continue farming, while Hampson said he will enjoy a full retirement with his wife. Both are happy to be done with government, but will miss those they worked with along the way.

“I would especially like to thank the many people that work for the county who were always willing to help the commissioners with the task at hand, going over and above the call of duty to help us better serve the people of Warren County,” Hampson said. “I will miss working with so many good people and the everyday interactions with the people that would walk through the commission’s doors.”