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All Roger Crowe knows is service. With three and a half years as a deputy of the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, then a 32-year member of the Kenton Fire Department where he retired with the rank of Captain, and held the titles of instructor and inspector. Most recently, Crowe has served as a Hardin County Commissioner for the past eight years.
“I had thought about running for commissioner while I was at the firehouse,” said Crowe. “I wasn’t able to because of the Ohio Revised Code.”
It wasn’t until Commissioner Ed Elliott passed away that Crowe decided to throw his hat in the ring for the 2016 election. He would later win that election by two votes.
Crowe’s first day in office he served as the Commissioner’s liaison to the fair board, but that wasn’t his first time being involved in county fairs.
“My dad owned a farm outside of Ada,” Crowe said. “His job transferred him to Indiana, so I was involved with 4-H and the county fair where we lived there.”
His time at the fair didn’t end in Indiana, however. After returning to the county and becoming a deputy, one of the highlights of his year was working at the fair.
“I just loved it,” he said. “I’d work 12 or 14-hour shifts, sometimes overnight. I enjoyed seeing everyone and there was always something to do and see.
Crowe has been a part of several opening ceremonies as commissioner but was most honored by being asked to speak at the Hour of Inspiration.
“I spoke about 9/11. That’s important to me as a retired firefighter. I was on the fire service that day. I was very honored to be asked.”
The relationship between the Commissioner’s Office and the Fair Board is strong, and that isn’t always the case. Crowe’s leadership is a large credit to the strength of that relationship.
“I appreciate the people that are on the Fair Board. I don’t think there are any of them that aren’t there for the right reason. They’re all there to serve the fair or they wouldn’t do that job for $1 a year. I have seen how much work goes into being a fair director. Most people think they are only there during the fair and they have long days during the fair. They have a long year before you get a fair and I appreciate that.”
Commissioner Roger Crowe
Recently Crowe’s passion for the fair has been evident as he champions the livestock complex development project.
“Back when they built the livestock complex that we have now, somebody must have been really proud of that,” said Crowe. “To have something even better to replace it with, I think it’s nice to be a part of something that improves the community.”
Investing in the fairgrounds is something the commissioners office views as touching the lives of residents in all corners of the county.
“That’s, that’s a place where we put our dollar, we know it impacts people in every corner of the county. It’s countywide, we’re not targeting a certain group,” Crowe said.
In addition to being a commissioner, Crowe served as Fiscal Officer of Buck Township — which he retired from in April — and served as a township trustee ten years before that. He serves as the fiscal officer of Grove Cemetery, is active in the Kenton Elks Lodge #157. He and his wife Julie are both active in the Lake of Lights. They have two children, David and Miranda as well as two grandchildren, Rhys and Hazel.