Elected Officials

Local government is the public administration of towns, cities, counties and districts. Notice that this type of government includes both county and municipal government structures. It can be challenging, but these entities must work together to administrate a particular geographic area. As citizens, we have much more contact with our local governments than we do with the federal government. This is because local government runs our city utilities, fire departments, public swimming pools, parks, local law enforcement and many other areas of our everyday lives. Below is a list of our elected officials located here in Ross County.

Board of Commissioners

Jack Everson, James E. Lowe, Dwight Garrett

2 North Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3085
The Board of County Commissioners has a very diverse and complex mission as it relates to the daily operation of county government. The Board is responsible for ensuring that the county, as a whole, operates within a balanced budget and it also acts as the appropriating authority for all county departments...
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Ross County Auditor

Jeff Lehner

2 N Paint St, Suite G, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3080
The Auditor is the county's chief fiscal officer and property tax assessor. As the "holder" of the county's checkbook, the Auditor is responsible for paying all of the county's bills, completing payroll for its 700+ employees, and keeping an accurate accounting of the county's fund balances...
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Ross County Treasurer

David Jeffers

2 N Paint St, Suite F, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3080
The County Treasurer is responsible for the collection of real estate, manufactured home and estate taxes. The Treasurer also collects all payments received by the county. These payments are collected in a variety of ways - over the counter by cashiers, through the mail, through other agencies...
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Ross County Recorder

Kathy Dunn

2 N Paint St, Suite E, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3000
In Ohio it is the County Recorder who has the important and indispensable task of keeping the vital records pertaining to ownership in real estate (land) and to all encumbrances and liens upon it. Without the work of the County Recorder in recording, safekeeping and organizing all documents...
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Ross County Engineer

Charles R. Ortman, P.E., P.S.

755 Fairgrounds Road, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3130
The county engineer is responsible for all maintenance, repair, widening, resurfacing, reconstruction and construction of pavements, culverts and bridges on county roads. The county engineer is also responsible for all bridges on township roads...
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Ross County Coroner

Dr. Ben Trotter, D.O.

217 Delano Ave. Suite A, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-775-7464
It is the intent of this office to provide efficient and professional services to the citizens of Ross County and to the family and friends of each decedent. The duty of the Ross County Coroner's Office is to determine the Cause and Manner of each death in which this office assumes jurisdiction...
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Ross County Sheriff

George W. Lavender

28 North Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-773-1186
The sheriff is responsible for law enforcement on a county level, ensuring that all local, state, and federal laws are followed. He or she performs a role similar to that of a police chief in a municipal department, managing a department in charge of protecting people and property and maintaining order...
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Ross County Prosecutor

Jeffrey C. Marks

33 W Main St, Suite 200, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3115
Ohio’s county prosecuting attorneys are primarily ministers of justice and the voice for victims. As ministers of justice, prosecuting attorneys play an integral role in our public safety. They prosecute adults accused of felony crimes and juveniles accused of delinquent acts...
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Ross County Clerk of Courts

Ty D. Hinton

2 North Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3010
The office of the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas traces its origin to the medieval cleric. A cleric maintained records, was responsible for correspondence and had various powers to issue writs or other processes ordered by the Court...
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Probate-Juvenile Court

Judge J. Jeffrey Benson

2 North Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-774-1179 | 740-774-1177
The Juvenile Division of the Court of Common Pleas has jurisdiction concerning juveniles, including: delinquency, unruly, school truancy, juvenile traffic offender, alternative school assignments, dependency, neglect, abuse and other juvenile matters...
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Common Pleas Court #1

Judge Michael Ater

2 North Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3032
The General Division of the Ross County Common Pleas Court is a trial court of the general jurisdiction created by Article IV, Section 1 of the Ohio Constitution. The Court has jurisdiction over all felony criminal cases and a wide variety of civil cases...
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Common Pleas Court #2

Judge Matthew S. Schmidt

2 North Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601 | 740-702-3038
The General Division of the Ross County Common Pleas Court is a trial court of the general jurisdiction created by Article IV, Section 1 of the Ohio Constitution. The Court has jurisdiction over all felony criminal cases and a wide variety of civil cases...
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