Brady's Roadhouse

“Our future is literally in peril,” warns Greene County Commissioner, Mike Belding. After his first year in office as commissioner, Belding reflects on the year’s accomplishments and challenges. 

Belding claims to have faced political strife while pushing for projects and believes Greene County must embrace a “unity of effort” in order to survive. 

“As a county, we are not doing well. In any measurable standard of success or failure – we are failing. We have a declining population, declining tax base (coal and real property), declining social standards, deteriorating infrastructure and increasing cost of living.” Belding said.

However, Belding has hope for the future. Alongside Commissioner Betsy McClure, Belding focuses on the prospects of Greene County.

 “Betsy and I wake up every single morning and do what’s right for Greene County, not politics,” Belding said. “It’s worth saving.”

Belding initially ran for office because of how unimpressed he was with the leadership and lack of transparency. 

“There should never be a question about it,” Belding said he and McClure have pushed for transparency in Greene County’s government. “Over the past year, we have made significant strides to increase transparency, access to elected officials and increased information available through social media. We only cancelled one public business meeting during the COVID shutdown,”said Belding.

Meetings are live streamed on the Greene County Commissioners’ Facebook page and are also held in-person. Belding intends to keep these livestreams permanent, to keep transparency.

“We intend to continue these to stay connected to the residents of Greene County, listen to their concerns and work toward solutions – no matter the issue,” Belding said.

Belding finds tourism to be an essential factor to Greene County’s economy.

“Many residents of Greene County enjoy riding side-by-side vehicles, but there aren’t many places to ride them,” Belding said. “So, they drive three hours away to ride them in Hatfield and McCoy, WV.” 

Currently, the commissioners are working on a few projects to help bring tourism to the county. 

“What if Greene County had a destination like this to draw people? Then they’ll buy fuel here, food and lodging. Rather than exporting dollars, we’re importing money and people,” Belding said. 

Another project includes the Wisecarver Recreation Area. The commissioners are currently seeking $800,000 in grants to build a softball stadium. They hope to hold regional tournaments, bringing business into the county. 

Belding also dreams of improving technology in Greene County. Coal is Greene County’s main form of economic stability. However, coal is on a decline. Belding wonders if natural gas could be used for off-the-grid technology. Greene County can develop its undeveloped property and encourage workers to move here. With the future trend of more people working from home, people could live here and work for companies in large cities. 

Belding wants to “entice” young people to stay or move back here. 

“As families move away to find alternate employment, our population continues to decline, reducing workforce available, the number of children attending school and a reduction in home ownership,” Belding said.

With a lack of young families, Greene County’s economy will continue to decline. Overall, Belding still acknowledges the fears hovering over the county. 

“Quite frankly, I am nervous about the survival of our communities,”Belding said. “In 2019, I attended 13 Chamber of Commerce sponsored Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies, a traditional community event highlighting the opening of new businesses in Greene County. Only one of those businesses invested in a new facility. The other 12 went into storefronts or plaza spaces where a previously failed business had vacated. We continue to turn over ‘The American Dream’ of entrepreneurs and small business owners because we have neither the indigenous foot-traffic up town nor the label as a destination for travelers and tourists. The struggle for surviving businesses is real.”

“Over the past decade, every measurable demographic, economic metrics and social standard in Greene County has presented a negative trend,” Belding said. “It is not enough to stop the trend; we must find innovative ways to change the trajectory of the trends to a positive. It will take a huge, cooperative effort on everyone’s part.”

Belding emphasizes the importance of innovation in Greene County and everyone working together. In Belding’s eyes, “Unity of effort is the only opportunity for survival that we have.”