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Meet the candidates for Greene County commissioner

12 min read
1 / 8
Vote 2
2 / 8

Blair Zimmerman

3 / 8

Archie Trader

4 / 8

Dave Coder

5 / 8

Charles Morris

6 / 8

Lisa Sowden

7 / 8

Betsy Rohanna McClure

8 / 8

Belding

Seven candidates are running for Greene County commissioner in the primary election Tuesday, May 21, for which the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Greene County commissioner position is a four-year term with a salary of $53,577.94.

Each of the candidates was asked to answer the two following questions:

1. What challenges does Greene County face, and how do you propose to meet these challenges?

2. If elected, what changes, if any, would you make in Greene County government?

Blair Zimmerman

Democrat

Blair Zimmerman, 65, of Franklin Township, served as Waynesburg mayor before becoming a county commissioner in 2012. He graduated from Waynesburg High School and attended California University of Pennsylvania.

Answer: The challenges facing Greene County are very similar to those faced by most governmental units throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and for that matter the United States. They truly show the importance and necessity of cooperation among all units of government to attempt to solve our common difficulties, problems and challenges into the next decade and beyond.

One of the most daunting problems facing both our local, county and national government structure is the scourge and devastation caused by opioid and methamphetamine abuse within our families and communities.

We are working in Greene County with our local and county law enforcement officials and teams, the educational and university communities of our region and our citizens at every possible level to attempt to define and structure workable and long-term solutions to combat these challenges.

We are cognizant that there are no quick-fix solutions to these problems, but are issues that must be met head-on by government leaders at all levels to have any chance of controlling and defeating this menace in our lives.

Our Greene County community also faces the challenges of expanding upon our tremendous coal, oil and gas resources of our region, to create new economic development and family sustaining employment and career opportunities in our county.

We want to work with our partners in our neighboring counties and continue our efforts with elected officials at both the federal and state levels to continue to attract resources, technical assistance and support for innovative and job-creating opportunities for all areas of Greene County.

In addition, the challenges of infrastructure stabilization and development, economic development, housing and countywide development initiatives under our county comprehensive plan effort, and our efforts to work and provide funding and support to each of the municipal and community units within Greene County will be vital to our future success.

If elected again to serve as a commissioner in Greene County, I would continue to be aggressive and supportive of all efforts that would allow us to continue to serve the interests of our constituents, with as much input from them as possible on a day-to-day basis.

Although government is a slow-moving vessel, the best solutions to our current difficulties would be to expand upon our chosen course in Greene County of transparency and openness in all that we consider and attempt to do for the citizens of our county and region, and to perform these functions with the participation, ideas and thoughts of our fellow citizens always at the forefront of our discussions and deliberations.

Charles Morris

Democrat

Charles Morris, 69, of Franklin Township, is an attorney and former county commissioner. He has a law degree from Duquesne University School of Law.

Answer 1: The challenges facing Greene County are many and they are closely intertwined: lack of secure, well-paying employment opportunities; failure to entice businesses or industry to relocate or establish themselves in our county; declining population; need to expand infrastructure; opioids.

Of those listed, the key is the need to attract industry. Efforts to do so have not been successful but they must not be abandoned. Rather, the effort must increase in scope and must be unrelenting. Certainly, there is work being done to improve access to broadband services in the county, and that is a “must” have. When we are successful in bringing new industry to Greene County, the other challenges become much more manageable.

With secure, well-paying employment opportunities, there would be no reason for our residents to leave their home county. Home construction should increase, retail businesses will follow, and tax revenues will increase to the benefit of our school districts.

The issue of opioids requires maximum effort from communities working together. Parents, schools, churches, and medical professionals are the key players. The county government can, and should, support their efforts.

Answer 2: The structure of county government is set forth in the Statutes of Pennsylvania. It includes setting the number of commissioners at three for all counties of our size. However, within that structure, the commissioners have the freedom to handle their duties and statutory obligations in the manner they believe is best suited for effective and efficient operation of the county and its various departments.

It would be premature to suggest changes until the elected Board of Commissioners assumes office and has had the opportunity to become acquainted with the department heads, the function of the departments and current projects.

Within the first two weeks in office, the new commissioners should meet all the various department heads, first as a group and then individually. Accountability should be stressed. Afterwards, informed decisions can be made regarding consolidation of departments or creating two separate departments out of what is now a single department, in the interest of better accomplishing our goals and efficiency of operations.

Dave Coder

Democrat

Dave Coder, 62, of Franklin Township, is a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who’s running for his sixth nonconsecutive term as an incumbent. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Waynesburg University.

Answer 1: A primary challenge is preserving Greene County’s rural charm and small-town appeal while pursuing responsible economic development opportunities that provide family sustaining jobs to complement our rural communities and enhance our quality of life. We need our youth to want to plant roots here, our families to thrive, and our older citizens to live an affordable, safe and serene lifestyle.

Working together in bipartisan manner and regionally with industry and labor is crucial for small rural counties. I will continue to call upon my lifetime of public service and experience at all levels of government and my ability and willingness to work collaboratively to advocate for Greene County. The relationships I have established and the contacts I have made are critical to opening doors and starting the kind of conversations required for accessing resources and funding necessary to build a vision for Greene County’s future.

Answer 2: Greene County is a great place to raise a family, work and play. It’s economy is energy driven and in good shape.

The change I would make comes from outside our county in the form of unfunded mandates, both state and federal. I would like to develop a strategy for having the state and federal government play a greater financial role in supporting these mandates. Sustainable revenues to adequately fund these mandates are critical.

We are doing our part by streamlining county government in an ongoing process. I will continue to look for more efficient ways to operate county government.

Lisa Sowden

Democrat

Lisa Sowden, 47, of Morgan Township, is a part-time Waynesburg borough police officer. She has a bachelor’s degree in public service administration from Waynesburg University.

Answer 1: I have heard many residents from Greene County voice their concerns about communication issues (high speed internet and phone lines), public and clean water, sewerage, and business and entertainment. I have a plan that I would like to incorporate business development incentives with improving the communication system. Public and clean water and sewerage can be developed through federal and state funding that Greene County allocates. Unfortunately, if you live in an area where hard-working people are able to make ends meet, you may not be eligible for this funding. We need water lines to these rural areas, not just for drinking purposes but also for fire protection services. Thinking outside the box will make this possible. Lastly, property is the big hurdle for business and entertainment. If property owners in and around the business district areas are not willing to allow our county to grow then I would like to see property owners that are willing to work with interested parties come to the table.

Answer 2: I would like to have the Greene County public meetings webcast live and have a link available on the county website for people who cannot attend. There needs to be more inter-agency communication and cooperation. I would make funding awards and budgets more transparent and basic information available to the public without a right to know request. I would invest more to improve our Emergency Management Agency and our Economic Development Agency. I would also become more involved with the local townships to ensure that they have the resources to meet the residents’ needs.

Archie Trader

Republican

Archie Trader, 76, of Washington Township, is running for his fourth consecutive term as county commissioner. He graduated high school and completed business courses at Penn State University. He is the former owner of Traders Plumbing and Heating.

Answer 1: The challenges for Greene County are bringing businesses to the county along with restaurants. We still have a need for middle-class housing. We are continuing to hold the line on taxes because of all the elderly residents that live here.

Answer 2: We are working daily talking to businesses and restaurant owners. I believe with the new West Virginia University Clinic to be opening soon will bring eating places and new businesses which we need. The gas industry will also help. I feel very confident about our county at this time. We are looking to improve our tax base by getting more water and sewerage in the county. We have the need to work with other phases of the gas industry, like businesses that make plastics and etc. from gas.

Betsy McClure

Republican

Betsy McClure, 60, of Franklin Township, is a school nurse at Trinity Area School District. She has a master’s degree in education from California University.

Answer 1: Our residents say they are very concerned about population decline and their children leaving the county to find work. They also worry about the pervasive opioid crisis and increased crime driven by this epidemic. Our citizens are frustrated at the scarcity of good paying jobs and the stagnant leadership in our county that has failed to diversify our economy. Each of these issues is a barrier to keeping and attracting industry and bringing new residents and tax base to Greene County.

I will speak for the people with my pro-jobs, pro-education, low tax and Greene County First Agenda. We must leverage our proximity to gas production sites and our many transportation assets, interstates, railways and rivers to capture midstream and downstream natural gas jobs. This is essential to stabilizing and growing our tax base, which supports schools and infrastructure.

Answer 2: I will bring transparency, honesty and accountability to our county government, and guard our tax dollars. I’ll work to provide dynamic, positive, fresh leadership to deliver results. While counties and communities around us are experiencing renewal, Greene County ranks near the bottom of most measures. I’m running to change that fact by serving citizens and putting their needs and interests first.

Mike Belding

Republican

Mike Belding, 56, of Whiteley Township, is a retired colonel of the U.S. Marine Corps. He has a master’s degree in management from Webster University and a master’s degree in national security strategy from National Defense University.

Answer: Although Greene County has thriving economies all around us, we have witnessed a decline in every social standard, economic metric and measurable demographic in recent years. I have concluded that Greene County government is ineffective, inefficient and dysfunctional due to lack of governance principles and poor leadership. The good ol’ boy network is alive and well and it is, literally, killing Greene County.

I have personally observed cronyism, nepotism, and the “family and friends” programs that prevent transparency and due process to ordinary taxpayers. Greene County government is broken and until new leadership brings back relevant qualities of good governance Greene County will not progress toward a better, brighter future.

Our priorities need to include making county government more effective, efficient and responsive, diversifying the economy and addressing the illegal drug crisis. We should all be focused on what is important to our future: the safety of our children, strength of the economy, success of our education system, and opportunities presented to the next generation, not the results of the next election.

Through unique experiences, education and strategic vision I offer an opportunity and perspective like no other candidate. I am one of two Greene County Republican Committee endorsed candidates.

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