蘑菇视频

Apr 19, 2024 By Melissa Gibson 3 min read

“Getting to Know” is a new feature in the Greene County Messenger, where we will introduce you to a different member of our Greene County community. We will be profiling local and county government officials, community champions and local heroes. If you know someone in Greene County who you believe is deserving of recognition and respect, please send your suggestions to us at news@greenecountymessenger.com.

From the U.S. Secret Service to the Greene County Courthouse.

Jared Edgreen, who graduated from college with a criminal justice degree and spent 15 years employed with the U.S. Secret Service, today, serves as the newest commissioner for Greene County.

“I protected the president, vice president and their families for the Obama and Biden administration and almost a year of the Trump and Pence administration,” Edgreen said. “It was an interesting job and I traveled the world but it took a lot of time away from my home and there was no work/life balance.”

While in Washington, D.C., Edgreen met and married his wife Cassie and nearly missed the birth of his first daughter (one of three) while on duty.

It was then the couple decided they needed to make a change and moved back to his hometown in Greene County.

There, he continued to work in public service, building a school police department at West Greene School District, working on grants to improve building security and updating safety procedures for the district.

“When we moved back, I got involved in several nonprofits: volunteering and working with the public. People were reaching out and suggesting I run for office at some point,” Edgreen said. “When Mike Belding (former commissioner) decided to retire, he said he would endorse me.”

Edgreen has found, like many of the roles he’s served in before, the job of commissioner is multi-faceted and has little to do with politics and more to do with caring about people and the community.

“It’s kind of like being a jack of all trades. You know a little about a lot. Commissioners manage over 300 county employees, including all the departments that go along with that and of course, the health and wellbeing of the county,” Edgreen said.

Though it’s difficult to get a laundry list of priorities done in one term as commissioner, Edgreen said there’s plenty of items on the to-do list. He’s hoping to see several things to completion or at the very least, he’ll have a hand in progressing them forward.

“One of the biggest things I want to do is increase communication coming out of the county. We want people to understand what resources are out there. We have a very robust human services department and there’s help available at no cost through grants,” Edgreen said.

Many think the job of the commissioner isn’t full time but Edgreen said they easily put in 60 hours per week, meeting with other leaders within the county and state to improve upon the needs of the community.

All three commissioners agree new businesses and industries are needed in the county.