WBOY.com

Marion County Development Corporation will promote small town

FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Marion County is revitalizing smaller towns with the Marion Regional Development Corporation (MRDC).  

On Wednesday, the Marion County Commission solidified the corporation’s new directors and officers which includes the addition of Commissioner Longstreth for four more years.  

The MRDC allows people to apply for no-interest loans for businesses and infrastructure projects. The goal is to invest and to promote economic development in all areas of the county.  

“We can sit down and say ‘what’s needed in this county? What’s needed in Grant Town. What’s needed in Fairview. What can we do to help?’ And we haven’t done that for so long that I think they feel kind of left out. You know we talk about Fairmont, we talk about Palatine, Middletown but we have these small communities that are really trying very hard to do something good,” Longstreth said.  

Longstreth explained that the loans are to invest more into the county, which she believes hasn’t been done in the last 20 to 30 years.  

“It’s time we do something and start building here because we have an opportunity to bring in businesses here, I mean bigger businesses, not just Morgantown, Clarksburg,” Longstreth said. 

Her term on the MRDC board continues until 2026.