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County commissioners take office

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Greene County Commissioner Blair Zimmerman, center, takes the oath of office Monday morning at the courthouse while fellow commissioners Archie Trader, left, and Dave Coder wait for their turn to be sworn-in to office. Zimmerman was later elected chairman of the Board of Commissioners.

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Greene County commissioners held their reorganization meeting Monday electing Blair Zimmerman, center, chairman; Dave Coder, left, vice chairman; and Archie Trader, right, secretary.

WAYNESBURG – Greene County Commissioner Blair Zimmerman was elected chairman during the board’s reorganization meeting Monday morning.

Zimmerman, a Democrat who was appointed to the board in 2012 and who won his first full term in November, thanked his fellow commissioners after being elected to the post during the 11 a.m. meeting.

“I’m humbled to be in this position, working with two great guys,” he said.

Zimmerman was nominated chairman by Democratic Commissioner Dave Coder, who won his seat on the board in November and who previously served as a county commissioner from 1996 to 2010. Coder was elected vice chairman of the board and Republican Commissioner Archie Trader, who is serving his third consecutive term on the board, was elected secretary.

Asked later if he intended to make any changes in board operations, Zimmerman said, “I’m sure there will be some changes, but I’m going to play it by ear for now and see how it goes. Things have run pretty smoothly in the past.”

Zimmerman said he thinks the commissioners should focus on ways to attract new jobs to the county.

“We have to try to bring some new industries to Greene County,” he said, speaking of problems involving the coal industry, including the recent closing of the Emerald Mine, and the downturn in the natural gas industry.

The county was working on efforts to provide training for displaced coal miners and that training is important, he said.

“But it’s no good if you don’t have jobs,” Zimmerman said. “People are not going to stay here if they don’t have jobs.”

The board reappointed Jeff Marshall as chief clerk. Harry Cancelmi was reappointed public defender and Cheryl Cowan was reappointed county solicitor.

The board also appointed Widmer Engineering the county’s bridge engineer and EADS Architects Inc. the county’s building engineer.

The commissioner will hold their first agenda meeting of the year at 10 a.m. Wednesday and first voting meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday. Meetings are held in the first floor conference room at the Greene County Office Building.

Several other boards were reorganized following the commissioners’ reorganization meeting.

The salary board reorganized, and Zimmerman was elected chairman, Coder was elected vice chairman and Controller Dave Balint was elected secretary.

For the county board of elections, Zimmerman was elected chairman, Coder was elected vice chairman and Trader was elected secretary. The board will meet April 7 and Oct. 20, following the commissioners’ meetings.

The county prison board reorganized, and Trader was elected chairman, Sheriff Brian Tennant was elected vice chairman and Coder was elected secretary. For the assessment board, Zimmerman was elected chairman, Coder vice chairman and Trader secretary.

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