Ellen Fischer has been with the Barton County Appraiser’s Office for going on three decades and has worked with several county appraisers. Tuesday morning, the County Commission honored the longtime personal property/appraisal clerk upon her retirement.

“She’s been so much fun to work with,” County Appraiser Wendy Prosser said.

Fischer was hired under then-County Appraiser Mark Hickson in May of 1992, Prosser said. “So she’s been here for almost 30 years now, and she’s outlasted a lot of appraisers.”

Prosser marks the seventh appraiser Fischer has worked for, she said. “She has seen a lot of us come and go.”

In all that time, she has held only two positions, real estate clerk and personal property appraiser, which she took over in 2008 or 2009 when Barb Esfeld became appraiser.

“After almost 30 years, Miss Ellen, we’ve had tons of good days and bad days, problems, many achievements, lots of coffee breaks, and lots of office pranks,” Prosser said. “And there have been many, many friendships. We wish you all the best in your retirement.”

Prosser and fellow Appraiser’s Office staff member Tracy Miller presented Fischer with a commemorative blanket. It read “may you be proud of the work you have done, the person you are and the difference you have made. Happy retirement.”

“And you have definitely made a difference in our county,” Prosser said. 

“She has trained seven appraisers,” said Esfeld, who retired as appraiser and now serves as District 2 county commissioner. “I actually think that one of the reasons she’s retired, she just got tired of training us.”

It was Esfeld who made the motion to honor Fischer. 

“I’m so honored to have gotten to work with her and now have her as a friend, and I’m glad to see her get to go into this next chapter and enjoy life that is a little more slower paced,” she said. “Ellen is a wonderful employee as her dedication shows. Barton County has been blessed.”