County bids farewell to Clerk of Courts Lisa Lotz
Looking back on her time as the clerk of courts, Lisa Lotz said she is grateful to have worked for the residents of the place she’s always called home.
“I love working with the people and I love serving the public. I do have that public servant heart. Our county is really great,” Lotz said. “And I’m a Butler girl. I graduated from Butler, so I love Butler and Butler will always be my home.”
After 32 years as Butler County Clerk of Courts, her time as a public servant comes to an end in January. She is retiring and will be replaced by Tammy Thibodeau.
Lotz served as the clerk of courts for eight terms. In total, she has worked at the courthouse for 44 years.
Originally, Lotz did not anticipate holding the position, let alone for over three decades. She said people encouraged her to run for election for clerk of courts to replace her boss at the time, John Wise. She won and took office in 1994.
“It didn’t start out that way. I was a deputy clerk of courts and my boss had retired. We had some turnover and we had a couple interim clerks of court and I said, ‘You know what, I can do this.’ And I was maybe a little naive about everything, but I jumped in and I did it,” she said.
As the clerk of courts, her duties and responsibilities include managing records for the criminal and juvenile divisions of the court of common pleas.
“The criminal division is one of those areas that people don’t know a lot about it unless you’ve been involved in the system. It’s something hard to describe. It’s like the underbelly. It’s a part nobody sees,” Lotz said. “It’s been a pleasure. Just keeping all the records. No matter who walks in the door, treating them with respect. There’s good people who make a mistake one time.”
At a retirement party at the Butler County Government Center Thursday, Nov. 20, county workers, attorneys and leaders gathered to celebrate Lotz and her positive role serving the county.
“Lisa has been such a hard worker, very honest and very dedicated, and she’s done a wonderful job on behalf of our taxpayers,” Julie Graham, county solicitor, said. “She’s been very kind to all employees, as well as the clients that come through her office.”
Thibodeau said she will have big shoes to fill when she takes over next year.
“She is just so kind and considerate. She has been very helpful to anybody. You could go to her for any question. She helps you figure things out. You can’t say enough good things about her — so wonderful,” Thibodeau said. “A great mentor, a wonderful friend”
Having heard from workers across county government, as well as other clerks from around the state, congratulating her on retirement, Lotz said the people she worked with were one of the main reasons public service was so enjoyable.
“It’s the people in the office too. It’s having a good staff. Everybody here seems to enjoy their job,” Lotz said. “Working in the court, with the judges, working with the jail and the probation officers, the public defenders, the DA’s office, the secretaries, there’s so many parties working together here, being able to work together.”
