Elected officials given the oath of office Tuesday by Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Mike Reed are in the front row from left, Matthew J. Buehler, Circuit Court judge; Melissa Boggs, county clerk; Michelle Puckett, treasurer; Tyler Huffer, coroner; and James Moyer, surveyor. In back are: Sue Ann Mitchell, northern district county commissioner; DeLynn Geiger, county council at-large; Kathleen Groninger, county council at-large; Rachael Rhoades, county council at-large; and Cary Groninger, middle district county commissioner.

By David Slone
Times-Union

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Ten elected county officials took their oaths of office Tuesday, Dec. 17, while two retiring elected officials and two retiring employees were recognized for their years of service.

The swearing-in ceremony and recognitions took place in the old county courtroom of the county courthouse after the county commissioners meeting. Commissioners President Bob Conley gave the welcome, Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter provided the invocation and benediction while County Clerk Ann Torpy read the certification of election.

Circuit Court Judge Mike Reed gave the elected county officials their oaths individually. The officials won the Republican primary in May and all were then unopposed in the Nov. 7 general election.

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

Torpy could not seek re-election this year due to term limits, and her chief deputy, Melissa Boggs, won the office. Boggs was second to take the oath.

She was followed by incumbents Treasurer Michelle Puckett and Coroner Tyler Huffer. Other incumbents taking their oaths were Middle District County Commissioner Cary P. Groninger and Kathleen D. Groninger, county council at-large member.

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

Middle District County Commissioner Cary Groninger, right, presents retiring Northern District County Commissioner Brad Jackson, left, with a plaque for his 28 years of service as a commissioner.

Sue Ann Mitchell, a current county councilwoman, took her oath as northern district county commissioner. She replaces Brad Jackson, who did not seek re-election.

DeLynn Geiger and Rachael V. Rhoades took their first oaths as county council at-large members. They replace Mitchell and Joni Truex on the council.

After the swearing-ins finished, Jackson was the first person presented with an engraved glass award for his years of service to the county.

Presenting the award to Jackson, Cary Groninger said, “We’re here today to award Brad Jackson a plaque for 28 years of service as a commissioner. I know I’ve only been serving with him for seven years, Bob has had over 20, but when I think of a scripture or a thought I could say for Brad, when you’re at the end of your days I think we all want to hear those words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ I just really feel as though Brad’s done that to our county. He’s been faithful, strong, conservative. We just have so much to be thankful for – his leadership over the last 28 years in the commissioner role. He’s really positioned our county to be a bright shining star in our state. So thank you.”

Jackson stated, “It doesn’t seem possible. … When I was 34 years old, I walked up the stairs for the first time as commissioner. Now I’m 62 for the second to last time as commissioner. It goes by fast.”

The last commissioner meeting of 2024 is at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 23.

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

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

He told Jackson he was 21 when he first walked up the county steps. “Thank you, everybody.”

Systems Administrator Bob Momeyer is retiring from the county after over 29 years in the IT department.
Groninger said, “I’m sure 29 years ago, most of us probably didn’t know what a computer probably 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 in the seven years I’ve been commissioner, just the complexity and all the cybersecurity … and all the other things we’re having to deal with in today’s crazy world, Bob’s just been a champion.”

He said Momeyer has ran the race even in these last couple years when he knew he was going to retiring.

“Thanks a lot, Bob. Appreciate you,” Groninger said.

Momeyer told everyone present from the county that he really enjoyed working with each of them.

Southern District County Commissioner Bob Conley, right, presents retiring County Surveyor Mike Kissinger, left, a plaque for his years of service Tuesday.

“Challenges are challenges and I kind of thrive on that, but I’ve enjoyed it. I’ll miss that, and I hope you continue 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, has worked for the county since 1998 and is retiring with Momeyer. Conley said if you have an issue, Henning has “all the answers.”

Henning said, “So it was 26 years ago and a couple of months that the commissioners took a little bit of a chance to hire me and I appreciate the trust that they put in Bob’s recommendation to hire me. And I have worked hard to honor that trust. I have enjoyed my time here. This has been a great place to work. A lot of great people. This has never been a place where I dread coming into work. Every day is presented with fresh challenges, and familiar faces that I can count as friends. So, thank you for the time and I wish you all the best.”

Groninger concluded the retirement recognitions by saying, “One of the things I would just like to reflect back on: Four employees. We’re talking over 100 years of service to our county. That depth of that. I think that sometimes we take for granted the people, the elected officials and our department heads here in our county. We’ve really been blessed to have the people willing to serve the number of years that they have. It’s really what’s made Kosciusko County great. So I appreciate everybody’s service, so thank you.”