Mohave County Supervisor Jean Bishop Retires After 30 Years of Dedicated Service

BULLHEAD CITY — Mohave County District 4 Supervisor Jean Bishop will retire this December after over three decades of public service.

“I plan to continue to use all my energy to continue to help the community and tell all our stories — until December 30, 2024,” Bishop stated. “And then I’m going to check out with no regrets, honestly — I’m going to enjoy visiting places that over the decades I’ve never had time to see.”

Bishop, who has been serving District 4 since 2014, oversees areas including Kingman and Golden Valley, stretching northwest to Nevada and nearly reaching Grand Canyon West. Born and raised in Mohave County, she brought local knowledge and passion to her role. “I thought, ‘Golden Valley is going to love me,'” she said. “And that never happened.”

Throughout her tenure, Bishop encountered unexpected hostility. “What surprised me most is the hatred and the anger, as opposed to respect for leaders, whether they’re elected or appointed,” she said. This, she believes, could deter future capable leaders from stepping forward.

Her career in public service began in 1977 as a dispatcher for the Kingman Police Department. She later transitioned to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office after completing the police academy as a single mother. Bishop also served as a certified officer for Mohave County Parks and helped launch the Environmental Rural Area Cleanup Enforcement (ERACE) program, eventually being elected constable for two terms.

In addition to her supervisory role, Bishop serves on multiple boards, including the County Supervisors Association Executive Board and Mohave County Board of Health. “We need more population which will give more rooftops, more revenue, which equates to better roads, better schools,” she stated, outlining her vision for controlled growth and improved job opportunities.

One of her proudest achievements is the establishment of a new animal shelter, a project she championed from the start. “Some board members thought the county statutorily only had to provide a pound,” she said. “What I wanted was more of an animal shelter, where people would be welcome to come in and rescue animals rather than putting animals down.”

Bishop hopes that her dedication to public service will be her legacy. “I think some of the vitriol and the hatred will fade away and then my record will stand with the things I did or didn’t do,” she concluded. “I certainly didn’t do everything right, nor did I do everything wrong — I think I did a pretty good job for our residents and I’m proud of what I did.”