Commissioner Belding not running for reelection in Greene County
Mike Jones/Observer-Reporter
Greene County Commission Chairman Mike Belding announces on Dec. 16 a $1 million plan to extend broadband internet service to more than 100 customers in the northwestern part of the county.
Mike Belding
Greene County Commission Chairman Mike Belding has decided not to run for reelection after just one term in office.
Belding said he decided against running again because he feels that he accomplished what he set out to do as a commissioner and now wants to enjoy retirement.
“I saw some issues in the county that I wanted to put a rudder to, and I’m ready to spend more time with my family and truly be retired,” Belding said Tuesday.
Belding, 59, served nearly 30 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and retired as a colonel in 2012. He ran for commissioner as a Republican in 2019 and received the most votes in the general election before being selected by the three-member board as chairman when he took office in January 2020.
“I was pretty satisfied with that lifestyle,” Belding said of retirement. “But being able to influence the future of Greene County due to the inefficient structure and lack of communication, I thought it was a responsibility for someone who had that skillset (to run for office).
Belding said the Republican-controlled board he led focused on fiscal issues that included cutting government spending while promoting economic growth in a county that has struggled in recent years with significant population losses as the coal industry has waned.
“The significant impact was made in the first year when we made significant cuts in spending and increased effectiveness of economic development, and the last three years have been shaping the future,” he said.
There have also been other advancements, such as the focus on expanding high-speed broadband internet to unserved and underserved areas in the county. It’s also been tumultuous at times, as District Attorney David Russo has clashed with the commissioners over staffing in his office along with other issues, which has led to an ongoing feud over the past two years.
Belding, who is a 1981 Waynesburg Central grad living in Whiteley Township, said he was always planning to serve a single four-year term before retreating back into retirement. His departure when his term is completed at the end of the year now opens up a seat on the board ahead of the May 16 primary, with multiple Republican candidates already announcing their intent to run for office.
“I think I’ve done my share,” Belding said. “I think we’re on a better path to stable economic diversity and slow growth. … I wish everyone the best in the future.”