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WHEELING - After 10 years in office and affecting changes in both the county office and across West Virginia, Ohio County Clerk Mike Kelly feels it is time he retires and lets somebody else take on the future direction of the office.
"I am (planning to step down) at the end of this calendar year," he said. "I came into the office with some goals, and I have completed them.
"There are other things that could be done, but frankly I don't think they could get accomplished in the next two years. A lot of them deal with policy, and I think the next clerk should be the one to start the policy and develop the policy. It can be developed over time."
Kelly turned 71 years old this year.
"I really don't really want to work any longer," he said. "I want to spend time with my grandchildren. They are down in North Carolina.
"Then I'd like to take a trip overseas with my wife and see a few locations. I would like to take advantage of it while my health is good."
At the top of Kelly's list is a visit to Portugal.
"It is one of the few countries in World War I and World War II that was not bombed," he explained. "So when you go there, you see something the way it was constructed. It has not been fixed up with cosmetics that make it look like it was original."
He previously has visited Ireland, Scotland and London.
"They were very interesting places to go to," he noted.
The Ohio County Commission now must take steps to find and appoint someone to succeed Kelly. They have already advertised the job and received resumes, according to Kelly.
Kelly was elected to office as a Democrat, and a Democrat must be appointed to fill out the remainder of his term that expires in 2028.
"Luckily, I don't have to be involved with making the decision," he said. "It will be a good one, I'm sure."
While serving as clerk, Kelly took on and completed the colossal task of digitizing the county's records dating back to before when West Virginia first became a state in 1863.
In total, Kelly estimates he and Deputy Clerk Becky Britton scanned more than 3.3 million images of county records, including land book records dating back to 1845. These are all available online.
Kelly also worked with Senate Majority Whip Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, to craft and pass legislation eliminating the need to create books of documents if their contents – deeds and wills – were downloaded and backed up on computer.
The action of putting the documents online permitted the hard-bound books to be moved out of the courthouse, freeing up space in the Clerk's Office that is now being used by the prosecutor's office.
There is also not the annual cost of producing the hardbound books. Other West Virginia counties have since contacted Kelly about how they should go about digitizing records.
"It has been an experience I've really enjoyed," he said. "I've had a really good staff to work with."
He credited county commissioners and supervisors past and present for supporting him in his efforts.
"It has been very satisfying to go in and say this is what I need, this is what I want to accomplish, and they say o.k.," Kelly said.
"(County Commission President) Zach Abraham has acknowledged my efforts have saved the county money. I really enjoyed it for those reasons."
Kelly also wants to dedicate more time to volunteer work with local organization, and to get more involved with St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.
"And my backyard needs my attention," he continued. "I'm looking forward to getting outside and doing it. I love outside yard work. I can take my time and not feel like I have any constraints."
An attorney, Kelly noted he won't return to practicing law.
"I practiced law for 36 years. That's enough," he said. "Then I spent 10 years as county clerk. I don't want to do anything like that anymore.
"It has been an interesting experience. I feel I am leaving the office with accomplishments that will be here for a long, long time," he added.