It has been just over a month since George Green’s first meeting as a member of the Monroe County Board and, while acclimating to the new role, he said it is going well. 

“So far, so good, but I’m still learning,” he said of how his new job is going so far. 

 A rural Maeystown resident, Green won almost 68 percent of the vote in the November election. 

He was sworn in as county commissioner on Dec. 1, with his first meeting taking place Dec. 7. 

Since the election, Green, a Republican, said he has been getting up to speed on the county’s inner workings by reviewing past meeting minutes, meeting the various department heads in county government to discuss their needs and attending committee meetings. 

When running for election, Green highlighted his work in business, as he retired as the general manager of operations at Unimin Corporation, an industrial mineral production company with locations throughout North America.

He also currently works as a buyer’s agent with the real estate agency of Tammy Mitchell Hines & Co., owns his family farm, and has a Master of Business Administration from Webster University. 

Green said that background is serving him well already. 

“I look at the issues from a business perspective and, when necessary, question the ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it’ answer to look for areas of improvement,” he said.

Green, who is vice president of the Maeystown Fire Department, also campaigned on a promise to support law enforcement. 

He said one area that is showing since he started is in the county’s consideration to expand the jail at an approximate cost of $14 million. 

“I stay abreast of the issues and listen to (law enforcement’s) needs and those of the public,” Green said. “With the increasing population of inmates at the jail and the need to properly serve the needs of Monroe County, we’re in the very early stage of evaluating the need to expand the jail. The board will continue to evaluate this with respect to the county’s current and future needs.”

A final campaign promise Green made was to promote economic development while maintaining Monroe County’s rural lifestyle. 

He said he is still learning how to do that, as he plans to meet with the economic development committee soon to see where the county stands. 

Going forward, Green said his chief goals in 2021 will be “to continue to learn more about each department, the overall workings of the county and to ensure that each issue that comes before the board is carefully weighed and decisions are made in the best interest of the citizens.”