By Stephen Smoot
In last week’s primary, North View native and Shinnston resident Patsy Trecost retained his seat after a spirited race against Ron Watson.
Serving previously as vice mayor of Clarksburg and also as a member in the House of Delegates, Trecost won election in 2018. This year, he earned election in the Republican primary by 200 votes and faces no Democrat in the fall.
“We want to treat all people equally and all people fairly,” said Trecost, adding that “their opinion matters.” The commissioner states that he takes his cue from the people, rather than bringing a vision based on his own priorities to the fore.
The county commission comes into late spring with a load of challenges to face. “We’ve got a problem in Lumberport with the water,” he said, stating that “it’s a moral issue for me” to restore reliable service to that area. He said that the commission will work on this issue, building support to help the community resolve the problems.
Quality of life serves as another priority, especially where it intersects with economic development and potential for growth. Trecost shared that “Harrison County is a great pace to work, to play, and to worship,” pointing out that “we’re blessed to have a low crime rate.”
Maintaining and improving quality of life also depends on giving both residents and visitors opportunities to play. “We want to make sure our recreational facilities are in place.”
In recent months, commission meetings have returned to the subject of the rail trail system. Trecost notes that the county just picked up a vital piece of property to help to extend the network into Salem. He explained how this will help to connect Harrison’s efforts with those undertaken in Richie and Doddridge counties to bring the dream of the “P to P” Parkersburg to Pittsburgh trail connection to reality.
Trecost and others project that completion of the project will significantly boost use of the system and tourism, not unlike how the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal trail brings multitudes of visitors per year to the route connecting Cumberland, Maryland and Washington DC.
“When people use it, they visit. When people visit, they spend money. When people spend money here, we all do better,” Trecost explained.
Another priority of the re-elected commissioner lies in working with the sheriff’s department and other partners to bring more Prevention Resource Officers to Harrison County Schools. West Virginia recruits from the most experienced pools of law enforcement officers and provides expert training to help them bring safety and security to public schools.
Trecost explained that “our number one asset is our youth,” but that the pressures of the drug epidemic remain relentless. “We don’t want our kids to have to get over the hurdle of addiction,” he added. In Trecost’s view, PROs bring a positive influence to education about and prevention of drug use among students. “We need to make sure that we have people in place to explain the do’s and don’ts,” he stated.
“Life is hard enough. Nobody can escape what is coming at them right now,” Trecost said, going on to say that addiction and related issues do not discriminate.
The commissioner also spoke about his city of residence. “Shinnston is a key component of Harrison County,” Trecost shared, also saying “Downtown Shinnston has grown and grown. The city itself has done a wonderful job of marketing itself.”
“All credit goes to the city manager and council,” he said, indicating that both the previous city manager Chad Edwards and the current holder of the office, Tori Drainer, have contributed considerably. He also pointed out the expanding selection of quality restaurants, as well as “new buildings being added and new businesses coming to the older buildings”
A subject that Trecost returns to over and over lies in the concept of the blessing of freedom to worship. He emphasized that Harrison County serves as a haven for people of faith, regardless of their faith, to worship as they believe best.
To Trecost, the vitality of faith and freedom to worship underlies and provides foundation to the work done by business, people, and government to continue to improve Harrison County.
Harrison County has three elected commissioners, each of whom serve six year terms. Other commissioners serving are Susan Thomas, Harrison County Commission president, and David Hinkle.