Wise to seek Greene County seat
Waynesburg resident Barb Wise said she is involved with many organizations and she is ready to “step up” to serve all Greene County residents as a member of the board of county commissioners. Wise, 55, who describes herself as a wife, mother, grandmother and executive assistant at RJ Lee Group Inc. in Franklin Township, is seeking a Democratic Party nomination in the May 17 primary to run for a seat as a commissioner in the November general election.
“I’m ready to step up what I already do for the community for the whole county. I’m not a politician. I want to help the residents of Greene County. I’m a helping kind of person,” Wise said.
She serves on the board of directors of the Greene County United Way, Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency and Waynesburg Prosperous and Beautiful, secretary of the Greene County Community Foundation and Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce and is president-elect of the Waynesburg Rotary Club.
Wise said she had an associate’s degree in business from Waynesburg University and has worked at RJ Lee Group since it first opened an office in the county six years ago.
She said she supports the Marcellus shale natural gas industry in the county because of the jobs it creates for residents, especially young adults, and sees many young people working at Consol Energy’s gas well office facility in the EverGreene Technology Park, where her employer is located.
“Many people have jobs in Marcellus. I’d love to see more jobs. I’ll do what I can to encourage Marcellus jobs,” Wise said.
As a member of the county tourist agency, Wise said she understands hotels are filled to capacity with people working in gas industry and farmers are making money by leasing property to gas exploration companies.
Though she likes the jobs the industry in bringing to the county, Wise said she is concerned about gas company trucks possibly damaging roads and bridges.
In addition, Wise said she believes that teamwork and cooperation among the three commissioners is important and she works as part of a team at RJ Lee.
“I’m a team person,” Wise said. “Teamwork is important when you have to work with two other commissioners and staff. I’m a team player.”
Wise said she wants to help residents.
“I just care so much about the everyday needs of the normal person,” she said.