It’s been over a quarter of a century since area business leaders have met in an organized manner to promote and support the business industry of Calhoun County. But a few very excited leaders met to creatively discuss why Calhoun County businesses have been left to their own devices when trying to survive in a dying economy and just what was the disease that caused it’s illness? Perhaps apathy, lack of infrastructure, access to opportunity, poor government leadership, little recreation opportunity, and issues within the school system. Most likely all the above was what was determined, and a daunting task to overcome. But the group concluded that they were up to the challenge.
Each member attending shared their experience with the politics of Calhoun County, both the positive and the negative. Each business had learned on their own how to find resources and information with very little, if any help from local government. More than one member spoke of the issue of County Government refusing to respond to people requesting information about the area and the struggle for transparency. They were grateful for the resources and information that Shelia Burch, Director of the Little Kanawha Economic Development Corp. had provided and the work she had put into the community, but without the backing of political leadership her efforts will not go far.
Local Realtors, Jim Morris and Derek Villers were there to share insight on the recent influx of out of State people purchasing property in the area. Calhoun Reality has sold over 8 million dollars in real estate in Calhoun within the last year. Other Realtors report high sales as well, but the issue is now whether or not we can offer these people a reason to stay. Many who have moved into the area have retired from larger cities and wish for a smaller community with less crime, others are families seeking safe spaces for their children to be raised, but do we have infrastructure (internet) and a school system that will satisfy their criteria for education?
Relatively new to the community, businessman David Gerlach shared his experience coming into Calhoun from Pennsylvania. He loves the community he’s moved to, but it hasn’t been without it’s share of problems with getting help from County leaders. He was happy to receive help from Mayor Robert Petrovsky and is hoping to expand his business of ”City Slicker Subs” food delivery into more areas of the county.
It didn’t seem to matter if you were raised in Calhoun County your entire life, a transplant with local connections or an out of State family with no connections at all, the problems were still very much the same for each one. Everyone felt like an island, there was no cohesion or concern from community leadership but there was now a concern and a determination to make it better from a group of people with that shared goal.
Goals were set to learn the basics of the Chamber of Commerce from others who have been successful, become community ambassadors for Calhoun County, and to become the voice that requires government leaders to do what our tax dollars are paying them to do and to make sure that children are given every opportunity to be educated in a community that doesn’t care where they came from but cares where they’re going.
For more information on this venture, contact Kyerstan Perkins, Eric and Brandy Lupardus, David Gerlach, Jim Morris, Derek Villers, Graham Knight or Shari Johnson. Watch the Ridgeview News for more updates and meetings.
