SALYERSVILLE, Ky. – Magoffin County Judge-Executive Matt Wireman shared with residents on Facebook yesterday evening that he will retire from his office effective Wednesday making January 1 his first official day of out of office.

“This decision is about timing and doing things the right way,” Wireman said in his statement. “including taking the required twelve-month break in service before I can return to the same office.”

He later addressed what he said was “how things work in a small town.”

“There will be talk,” he said. “A few local ‘political experts’ will get together over coffee and come up with some pretty wild theories about why I’m retiring. So let me tell you plainly: I’m healthy, my family is healthy, I’m not in trouble, I’m not under pressure, and I’m certainly not afraid of losing an election.”

Wireman mentioned his father passing away in 2007 at the age of 61 as a point when he began considering having “everything in order for my family.” A big part of this, he said, is helping his daughter gain her education without the burden of student loans.

He also stressed the move shouldn’t be viewed as him abandoning public service for good.

“Even though I’m retiring, I am not walking away from Magoffin County or from public service. My intention is clear and unwavering: I fully intend to run—and I intend to win—a third term as your Judge/Executive. This retirement is a required pause, not a surrender. My heart for this job and for this community has not changed one bit.”

Next steps will be a current fiscal court member stepping into the position until Governor Andy Beshear can appoint someone to fill the gap.