County officials take oath of office, recognized for years of service – InkFreeNews.com

By David Slone
Times Union

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Ten county elected officials were sworn in Tuesday, Dec. 17, while two retired elected officials and two retired employees were recognized for their years of service.

The inauguration ceremony and recognitions took place in the old courtroom of the county courthouse following the county commissioners meeting. Commissioners Chairman Bob Conley offered welcome, Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter performed the invocation and blessing while County Clerk Ann Torpy read the certification of the election.

Circuit Court Judge Mike Reed administered the oath of office to county elected officials individually. The officials won the Republican primary in May and all went unopposed in the November 7 general election.

The first person Reed administered the oath of office to was Matthew J. Buehler, who replaces Reed as Circuit Court judge. Reed did not seek re-election.

Torpy was unable to seek re-election this year due to term limits, and his deputy director, Melissa Boggs, won the job. Boggs was the second to take the oath.

She was followed by outgoing Treasurer Michelle Puckett and Coroner Tyler Huffer. Other incumbents taking the oath of office were Middle District County Commissioner Cary P. Groninger and at-large County Council member Kathleen D. Groninger.

James R. Moyer was sworn in as surveyor. He replaces Mike Kissinger, who did not seek re-election.

Current County Councilwoman Sue Ann Mitchell was sworn in as County Commissioner for the Northern District. She replaces Brad Jackson, who did not seek re-election.

DeLynn Geiger and Rachael V. Rhoades were sworn in for the first time as at-large members of the County Council. They replace Mitchell and Joni Truex on the board.

After the swearing-in, Jackson was the first person to receive an etched glass award for his years of service to the county.

In presenting Jackson with the award, Cary Groninger said, “We are here today to present Brad Jackson with a plaque for his 28 years of service as Commissioner. I know I’ve only served with him for seven years, Bob has over 20, but when I think of a scripture or a thought I could say for Brad, when you are at the end of your days, I think that we all want to hear these words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I really feel like Brad did this to our county. He was faithful, strong, conservative. We have so much to be grateful for: his leadership over the past 28 years as commissioner. He has truly positioned our county to become a shining star in our state. So thank you.

Jackson said: “It doesn’t seem possible. … When I was 34, I first rose through the ranks as a commissioner. Today I turn 62 for my penultimate time as commissioner. It goes by quickly. »

The final commissioners meeting of 2024 will be Monday, December 23 at 9 a.m.

“We have a great community. I’ve said this before about zoning issues. We can disagree, but we can express our differences and disagree with each other, but we come together. And it’s a great community and a great place to live,” Jackson continued.

Kissinger received a plaque for his years of service from Conley. Kissinger said: “I just want to say two things. First, my favorite people are here: my wife LuAnn and my mentor Dick Kemper.

He told Jackson he was 21 when he first climbed the county steps. “Thank you everyone.”

Systems Administrator Bob Momeyer is retiring from the county after more than 29 years in the IT department.
Groninger said, “I’m sure 29 years ago most of us probably didn’t know what a computer was. And just to see his leadership in our IT department and how it’s grown and how it’s changed over the years, just over the seven years I’ve been commissioner, just the complexity and all the cybersecurity… and all the other things we face to deal with in today’s crazy world, Bob has simply been a champion.

He said Momeyer ran the race even in the last two years when he knew he was going to retire.

“Thank you very much, Bob. I appreciate you,” Groninger said.

Momeyer told everyone in attendance from the county that he truly enjoyed working with each of them.

“Challenges are challenges and I kind of like that, but I enjoyed it. I will miss it, and I hope you continue to move forward well with the new regime. Eric (Sorensen) is going to do a great job, Scott as well, and we thank you for being here,” he said.

Paul Henning, systems administration manager, has worked for the county since 1998 and is retiring from Momeyer. Conley said if you have a problem, Henning has “all the answers.”

Henning said, “So 26 years and some months ago the commissioners took the risk to hire me and I appreciate the confidence they placed in Bob’s recommendation to hire me. And I worked hard to honor that trust. I enjoyed my stay here. This has been a great place to work. Lots of great people. It has never been a place I dread coming to work. Every day brings new challenges and familiar faces that I can count as friends. So, thanks for the time and I wish you all the best.

Groninger concluded the recognition ceremony by saying, “One of the things I would just like to go back to: four employees. We’re talking about over 100 years of service to our county. This depth of it. I think sometimes we take the people, the elected officials and the department heads here in our county for granted. We’ve been really fortunate to have people willing to serve the number of years they have. This is truly what makes Kosciusko County great. So I appreciate everyone’s service, so thank you.