Trending
PARKERSBURG -- Incumbent Republican Jimmy Colombo will be facing Democrat Simon Hargus for the position of Wood County Commissioner in the upcoming election.
The Wood County Commission, comprised of three elected officials, oversees operations of county government including all purchasing and budgeting, correspondence with state and federal government, and hearings for Wood County residents, according to the county's website.
Colombo, 78, the owner of Colombo's Restaurant, is the incumbent commissioner. He has deep ties to the community having raised his family here.
He has served as the mayor of Parkersburg, served on the State Parole Board and has served the community in other ways. He has prided himself on being able to work with the other two commissioners for the betterment of the county. He believe his time as mayor, being on the parole board and his time as commissioner have given him a lot on insight into the issues of the county.
"I'm running because I really enjoy this position," he said. "All of the commissioners work pretty well together.
"This is a continuing job. It is making business decisions."
He talked about how the commission has refinanced everything that can be refinanced, they have improved the county's jail bill by auditing past bills and finding credits, but prices are still going up. The commission has worked on maintaining level insurance for several years. It is up a little bit this year, but the county had four to five years where it was maintained at almost the same level, Colombo said.
"This is the effort of the whole team," he said.
He talked about the new 34,000-square-foot Wood County Resiliency Center being built on the grounds of the old jail. The facility will house the county maintenance garage as well as provide space to hold large scale vaccine/flu shot programs, large-scale food distribution events, socially distanced court proceedings and more depending on need.
"I think the center encompasses flexibility," Colombo said
The new Wood County 911 Center, being built at the former Suddenlink building at the intersection of Interstate 77 and U.S. 50 will be a state-of-the-art facility with room for expansion and storage.
The commission regularly works with people looking to come to the area and West Virginia.
"West Virginia is for expansion," Colombo said. "We have people looking for space to be able to come in and create jobs.
"We have to do the right kind of things to make that happen."
Colombo wants to see a housing evaluation done to see what is available and possibly spur more development.
A proposed project to extend waterlines to Fort Boreman Hill might open areas for development, he said, adding the roads are already there for access and more.
"It is a beginners dream," he said. "It is a wonderful place to put something. Once it happens it will blossom."
Hargus owns and operates First Settlement Physical Therapy, a local business with 190 employees. He grew up in Vienna. He graduated from Parkersburg High School in 2002 and received a master's in business administration and a doctorate in physical therapy before taking over his family's business. He is married with a 3 year old daughter and a 7 year old son. He currently resides in Parkersburg.
"I've always been interested in helping Wood County in whatever way I can," he said. "I've grown up here, my kids and business are growing here."
Hargus believes he can bring a new level of ideas and energy to the commission. He feels being a commissioner is a role where his knowledge of the area, leadership and management skills can really be of use.
The immediate priority for Hargus is to support the renewal of the school and library levies and vote no on the state's proposed Amendment 2, which the commission recently came out against.
"Failing to pass the renewal of the levies, or passing Amendment 2, would blow giant holes in school, library and county budgets," he said. "Past this upcoming election, we need to improve work force participation from every direction we can."
Hargus feels being a commissioner is also about helping various boards around the county and this is an area where he thinks communication and participation can be objectively categorized as lackluster.
"We also need to make sure our airport, rail, highway and river access are maintained and then capitalized on," he said. "And I'd like to see more effort put into getting grants for the county, especially for the health department."
Hargus is looking at working for the betterment of the county.
"I've seen the county change for good and bad over the years and I'm eager to get involved and push it in the right direction," he said.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com