By Marie McCain
The Cincinnati Enquirer

BATAVIA - Martha Dorsey isn't ashamed to admit that during her four terms as Clermont County's first female commissioner many of the ideas she had for county improvements weren't her own.

She attributes their origins to a higher power she believes "called" her to do good works for the citizens of Clermont County.

A woman of strong conviction and even stronger faith, her forward-looking approach to county government came at a time when Clermont was still mainly rural, known more for its Appalachian and agrarian roots than anything else.

During her 16-year tenure, she spearheaded a plan that secured water rights to Harsha Lake, worked to create an effective emergency response system, and helped formulate a 20-year capital improvement plan in anticipation of the county's growth.

Today, in her final act as a county commissioner, Mrs. Dorsey will swear in her replacement. This mother of five, who has worked as a public servant for almost 40 years, is retiring.

Her plans include "being a great grandma and trying to catch up with my reading.

"I've got bookshelves of books that I haven't had time to read," she said, adding that she plans to move to Brown County to be near relatives.

R. Scott Croswell III, who won election to the vacated seat in November, will start work as Clermont's neophyte commissioner next month. He is the son of Robert Croswell Jr., the man Mrs. Dorsey succeeded in 1986.

"Martha is widely respected in the state of Ohio for the progressive views that she brought to the Clermont County commissioner's office," said the younger Mr. Croswell. "Those views can be seen in the excellent emergency response system we have and the sophisticated information system that is in place and the professional way in which she managed the county's budget. Most people feel she was ahead of her time.

"I'm honored to have her swear me in. I think it's appropriate and my father would have been pleased," he added.

In the years since first taking office, Mrs. Dorsey has seen Clermont County grow by more than 18 percent to a population of almost 178,000.

And while she anticipates continued growth, she believes the county will never completely lose its pastoral beginnings.

"I think that because of the topography there will always be a part of Clermont County that will be very rural, as it is in all of Ohio's southern counties," she said. "But the growth will follow the (transportation) corridors. ... You're not going to stop it. Growth will happen where it happens and people will move where they want to move."

Though effective, her time in office has not always been easy.

"Most things, when you're affecting change, don't come easy. Change is difficult, even if it's good change," she said. "We've always had the continuing growth to deal with while we were trying to catch up and get the technology and the buildings and the roads and all of that. Trying to accommodate the growth has been difficult because it doesn't stop and let you play catch up."

Mrs. Dorsey has declined requests to run for state office, saying she believed she would be most effective at the county level.

"I have a lot of confidence in Clermont County. ... I just believe Clermont County can work through anything that comes its way," she said.

The swearing-in ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the commissioner's session room in the county administration building, 101 E. Main St.

E-mail mmccain@enquirer.com