Large crowd turns out to 'roast and toast' Horst's years of service
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
A standing-room-only crowd was on hand at the Highland County Common Pleas courtroom on Friday afternoon to share their appreciation for longtime public official Tom Horst’s 40 years of service as he begins his retirement.
Since 1976, Horst has served as a Lynchburg police officer, Hillsboro police officer, three terms as Highland County sheriff, two terms as Highland County commissioner and also worked for the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.
A line of well-wishers stretched throughout the room and out the courtroom doors at the beginning and end of the event, as crowds waited to greet Horst and his wife, Maggi. The large crowd included numerous past and present county officials, mayors and city managers, law enforcement officers, friends and family, including the Horsts’ granddaughter and great-niece. Senator Bob Peterson was also in attendance, along with former Wilmington mayor and current Wilmington city council president Randy Riley and Clinton County commissioner Mike Curry. Many of Horst’s coworkers, including clerks from the commissioners’ office and his longtime administrative assistant Pat from the sheriff’s office, also came to the event.
In between the Horsts’ visit with guests, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss hosted a “roast and toast” in which he and several other public officials shared good-natured jokes as they celebrated Horst’s career.
The judge, who said that he had known Horst for decades, said that he has always believed Horst had “the best hair of any politician I’ve ever seen.” Coss brought the house down by pulling out a comb and tousling Horst’s “perfect” hair.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for 40 years,” Coss said. “So have a lot of other people.”
As emcee, Coss told many jokes and stories involving Horst, along with introducing other guest speakers. He also “toasted” the outgoing commissioner, saying that the Horsts have been “a great team.”
“They’ve done a lot of great things in the community, great service,” Coss said. “They’ve been a great friend and put in a lot of extra time here at the courthouse, taking care of the grounds and being the guardians of it. I appreciate that.
“Forty years of service is something to be very proud of, Tom, and we’re proud of you.”
Current Highland County commission president Shane Wilkin also referenced Horst’s work at the courthouse during his “roast and toast.”
“He was the driving force behind the veterans’ memorial and has done a lot of cleanup out front and the trees,” Wilkin said. “We’ve got the mural over here that he’s been the force behind and getting a lot of the restoration done on the front.”
Wilkin brought out a horn for Horst to “toot his own horn” for his work on the county courthouse. He also gave Horst an envelope of fast food coupons, “since he’s on a fixed income,” before presenting an award from the commissioners’ office to commemorate Horst’s service.
“Tom has been a great partner in the commissioners’ office,” Wilkin said. “It has been fun.”
Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera, who said he was hired by then-Sheriff Horst in 1993, also brought props for his roast. Barrera joked that Horst was known for buying new products “anytime a salesman, or especially a saleswoman, who was halfway good-looking” stopped by the office. Barrera still had several of the items that Horst ordered, including a light that he bought for officers to wear on their arms during nighttime traffic duty and a lighted traffic safety baton.
“We would have Star Wars fights with them during traffic control,” Barrera said.
After telling some stories of Horst’s experience as sheriff, Barrera presented Horst with a plaque from the sheriff’s office in appreciation of Horst’s service as sheriff and as a public official.
“Tom was a great person to work for and one of the best bosses I’ve ever had,” Barrera said.
Former Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson, also told humorous stories of Horst’s career as a Hillsboro police officer, along with even more jokes about Horst’s hair.
In addition, Second District Congressman Brad Wenstrup spoke briefly and honored Horst with a Congressional Record entry.
Both Tom and Maggi Horst thanked the crowd, including naming some of Horst’s former coworkers, employees and many friends, for their support over the years.
“It’s been an honor to work for you,” Tom Horst said.
“We’ve really enjoyed it,” Maggi Horst added.
Horst said that he was “getting teary-eyed” over the outpouring of support, but Coss joked that it was just “because your hair’s messed up.”
“Everybody that I see has been easy and good to work with,” Tom Horst said. “It’s been a good life.
“But we’ll be around. We’re not going anyplace. We’re going to stay in Hillsboro.”
Since 1976, Horst has served as a Lynchburg police officer, Hillsboro police officer, three terms as Highland County sheriff, two terms as Highland County commissioner and also worked for the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.
A line of well-wishers stretched throughout the room and out the courtroom doors at the beginning and end of the event, as crowds waited to greet Horst and his wife, Maggi. The large crowd included numerous past and present county officials, mayors and city managers, law enforcement officers, friends and family, including the Horsts’ granddaughter and great-niece. Senator Bob Peterson was also in attendance, along with former Wilmington mayor and current Wilmington city council president Randy Riley and Clinton County commissioner Mike Curry. Many of Horst’s coworkers, including clerks from the commissioners’ office and his longtime administrative assistant Pat from the sheriff’s office, also came to the event.
In between the Horsts’ visit with guests, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss hosted a “roast and toast” in which he and several other public officials shared good-natured jokes as they celebrated Horst’s career.
The judge, who said that he had known Horst for decades, said that he has always believed Horst had “the best hair of any politician I’ve ever seen.” Coss brought the house down by pulling out a comb and tousling Horst’s “perfect” hair.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for 40 years,” Coss said. “So have a lot of other people.”
As emcee, Coss told many jokes and stories involving Horst, along with introducing other guest speakers. He also “toasted” the outgoing commissioner, saying that the Horsts have been “a great team.”
“They’ve done a lot of great things in the community, great service,” Coss said. “They’ve been a great friend and put in a lot of extra time here at the courthouse, taking care of the grounds and being the guardians of it. I appreciate that.
“Forty years of service is something to be very proud of, Tom, and we’re proud of you.”
Current Highland County commission president Shane Wilkin also referenced Horst’s work at the courthouse during his “roast and toast.”
“He was the driving force behind the veterans’ memorial and has done a lot of cleanup out front and the trees,” Wilkin said. “We’ve got the mural over here that he’s been the force behind and getting a lot of the restoration done on the front.”
Wilkin brought out a horn for Horst to “toot his own horn” for his work on the county courthouse. He also gave Horst an envelope of fast food coupons, “since he’s on a fixed income,” before presenting an award from the commissioners’ office to commemorate Horst’s service.
“Tom has been a great partner in the commissioners’ office,” Wilkin said. “It has been fun.”
Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera, who said he was hired by then-Sheriff Horst in 1993, also brought props for his roast. Barrera joked that Horst was known for buying new products “anytime a salesman, or especially a saleswoman, who was halfway good-looking” stopped by the office. Barrera still had several of the items that Horst ordered, including a light that he bought for officers to wear on their arms during nighttime traffic duty and a lighted traffic safety baton.
“We would have Star Wars fights with them during traffic control,” Barrera said.
After telling some stories of Horst’s experience as sheriff, Barrera presented Horst with a plaque from the sheriff’s office in appreciation of Horst’s service as sheriff and as a public official.
“Tom was a great person to work for and one of the best bosses I’ve ever had,” Barrera said.
Former Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson, also told humorous stories of Horst’s career as a Hillsboro police officer, along with even more jokes about Horst’s hair.
In addition, Second District Congressman Brad Wenstrup spoke briefly and honored Horst with a Congressional Record entry.
Both Tom and Maggi Horst thanked the crowd, including naming some of Horst’s former coworkers, employees and many friends, for their support over the years.
“It’s been an honor to work for you,” Tom Horst said.
“We’ve really enjoyed it,” Maggi Horst added.
Horst said that he was “getting teary-eyed” over the outpouring of support, but Coss joked that it was just “because your hair’s messed up.”
“Everybody that I see has been easy and good to work with,” Tom Horst said. “It’s been a good life.
“But we’ll be around. We’re not going anyplace. We’re going to stay in Hillsboro.”