A 'Hall of Fame' career as Highland County public servant

“We applaud your record of public service and salute you as one of Ohio’s finest citizens.”

– Ohio Rep. Cliff Rosenberger, reading from an Ohio General Assembly proclamation on behalf of Greenfield City Manager Betty Bishop.

Prior to Greenfield City Manager Betty Bishop’s arrival to her own retirement party Wednesday afternoon, grant writer Peg Beekman was busy setting up food and drinks at the Greenfield Historical Society Grain and Hay Building.

When asked about the difficulty in replacing someone with Bishop’s decades of public service, Beekman did not hesitate. “You can’t replace Betty,” she said. “She’s one of a kind.”

Beekman, Greenfield Council President Betty Jackman and the village of Greenfield hosted a two-hour reception for their outgoing city manager.

As dozens of city employees, citizens, community leaders, and local, county and state public officials filed into the Grain and Hay Building, everyone greeted Bishop with a smile and a hug.

State Rep. Cliff Rosenberger, who represents Highland County in the Ohio House of Representatives, read his final proclamation in the 129th General Assembly, written in honor of the city manager.

“If there was a Hall of Fame for public officials in Highland County, Betty would be the first person inducted,” Rosenberger said. “There is no harder worker or better advocate for the city of Greenfield.

“To Betty, it’s not about numbers, it’s about putting food on people’s plates, it’s about educating children, and it’s about finding jobs for Greenfield,” Rosenberger said.

Highland County Commissioners Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst thanked Bishop for her efforts as did Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire Chief Bradley George, and Highland County Court/Madison Township Judge Bob Judkins and many others, including her husband, Lee.

Bishop, a former mayor of Hillsboro, also was thanked for her service and assistance by current Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings.

“One of the first people I was told to look up was Betty,” Hastings said about his 2011 campaign for mayor.

“After one year in office,” Hastings said, “I have a huge appreciation for what you’ve done in public office over the years.”

During the reception, Bishop shared several stories, including a recent uniform addition for the Greenfield police officers, many of whom were in attendance.

“You see the hats the police officers are wearing?” Bishop asked. “They didn’t always have hats, but I thought a police officer should wear a hat when he’s on patrol. The officers agreed and now they have hats. It’s just a small thing, but I think it makes the officers look even more professional when they are out on patrol.”

Greenfield Police Chief Tim Hester also thanked the city manager for leading the community the past three years.

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve with Betty for the last three years,” Chief Hester said. “She is an amazing person who has worked non-stop to make Greenfield a better place. She really does love this town and the people and it shows. She will be badly missed.”

In April of this year, Bishop informed Greenfield council members they needed to start exploring their options, as she was planning to retire.

“This community has been very good to me, and I pray that the majority of the people feel I have been good for the community,” Bishop said. “We have a lot of projects in the hopper, and hopefully someone can step in and keep moving this community forward. I definitely believe Greenfield is in a position to progress rapidly.”

“But I’m tired. I’m working way too many hours. I am a workaholic, and I need to cut back.”

Bishop said she has been working on a book about her life as a public servant in Highland County.

“I have 268 pages on paper,” she said. “When there’s a cold winter day and I don’t have anything else to do, I’ll write some more.”

“We have come a long way with clean-up of properties, drug enforcement, repair of the railroad, crack-down on criminal activity, and a good start on financial recovery,” Bishop said earlier this year. “We have just begun. There is a lot more to do. With the cooperation of citizens, schools, industry, business and government, the sky is the limit for this community.”