Former Belmont County Commissioner Chuck Probst has thrown his hat into the ring for election. (Photo provided)

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Former four-term Belmont County Commissioner Chuck Probst has announced that he will run again for a seat on the commission in the May 5 primary election.

“My decision to run for office is to bring proven leadership, experience, dedication and most importantly stability to the County Commission. Being a former four-term Belmont County Commissioner has given me invaluable experience and distinguishes me as the only commission candidate that will be a knowledgeable asset and resource to the county commission and the citizens of Belmont County” Probst said.

A lifelong Belmont County resident, Probst is currently president of the Martins Ferry City School District Board of Education and also serves as a member on the Belmont/Harrison Career Center Board.

He is a former Colerain Township Trustee, was employed at Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, EORWA and is the past volleyball coach at Martins Ferry High School and St. Johns Central in Bellaire.

“Job creation and retention, economic development, improvements to our county highway system, water and sewer expansion and financial growth is essential for our county to thrive plus it is critical to have a foundational investment in our school districts to provide a quality education for our children,” he said. “We also must develop employment opportunities, as I’ve successfully done, creating livable wage jobs. We have good, skilled, hard working men and women who have lost their jobs at no fault of their own in our county and I will do whatever is necessary to take care of our families and businesses. I will continue working to attract new business and industry to Belmont County and make sure any future construction projects are done with local labor and local contractors.”

He added that he recognizes there are many problems facing our county today.

“Police, fire and EMS are having staffing and funding issues. Our school districts are struggling with funding needs,” he said. “Our citizens are facing daily challenges to make ends meet. We have a hospital sitting idle in Martins Ferry that desperately needs to open. We have companies and businesses that are closing or leaving.

“We have families hauling water for their everyday needs and we need to get in step with our cities, villages, townships and school districts to help them in any way we can,” Probst said. “I’m the only commissioner candidate that has the extensive knowledge and experience on how to tackle these tough issues. If elected, these are just a few of the important matters he will begin working on his first day in office.”

He added that he served as commissioner and helped guide Belmont County through “one of the worst recessions in county history,” as well as two major disasters that created millions of dollars in damage to property and infrastructure and was able to bring the county successfully back to prosperity.

“We all lived through those times and know the hardships it created. It is vital that Belmont County have a commissioner who will be a vocal advocate for our taxpayers in Columbus and Washington D.C., which I have done on numerous occasions. I would like to remind the people that I worked 15 years for you as your county commissioner and know the responsibilities and time it takes to be an effective commissioner. I also have a proven record of helping people, being accessible, and watching over our seniors and veterans making sure that their care and their needs are being met,” he said.

Probst added that some of his accomplishments while in office were, crafting and creating the Veterans Discount Card Program, and working to establish the Veterans Transportation Program and the Veterans Service Building in Bellaire. He said that he established the Prescription Drug Discount Card Program for residents and helped acquire $1.2 million for the Barnesville Hospital Expansion Project.

Probst has also worked closely with Congressional leaders in Washington D.C. to facilitate the transfer of the Armory property in Bellaire to the Belmont County Port Authority which is now Supply Chain Solutions. He has also worked and received grant funding along with local dollars for the Neffs sewage project, assisted in funding for renovations at Barnesville airport, assisted in acquiring the Barnesville industrial park and was instrumental in receiving grants and funding to provide upgrades for the Belmont County 911 Center for communication upgrades for all Fire, EMS and law enforcement personnel.

“Being a County Commissioner is a very demanding job,” he said. “The clock doesn’t stop at 5. Most days are 12 to 14 hours if you want to properly represent the people. Every vote and every decision a commissioner makes directly or indirectly affects someone’s life. I take that role seriously.”

Probst resides in Colerain with his wife Karen of 45 years and has two grown daughters and five grandchildren.