Scotty Stone on Transportation and Business Growth in Clay County

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Scotty Stone, board secretary for the Clay County Business Development Authority. He tells me Clay County is part of the Charleston metro area, which means it qualifies for many of the same grant programs and regional initiatives. There’s no real cultural divide either—folks from Clay are often in Charleston, and they’re part of the same broader community.

We talk about a new partnership between the Clay County Commission, the Business Development Authority, and Mountain Transit Authority. After a transportation study with the University of Charleston, they secured public transit for the area. The goal is to help residents reach food, jobs, education, and health care. Grocery access is a big challenge, so this gives people a way to get to places like Summersville and Flatwoods.

Scotty also shares updates on outdoor recreation. They’ve repaved a parking lot and added pickleball courts, improved soccer fields at Mason Park, and are supporting youth soccer through the health department. He says it’s all part of promoting better health through activity.

We talk about the Elk River Trail and how the Business Development Authority helps make access and infrastructure easier while the Trail Foundation handles growth. Now they’re shifting to support local entrepreneurs. Scotty says Clay had the highest startup rate in the state by percentage earlier this year, mostly driven by food trucks. The location makes it easy to reach surrounding towns, which helps seasonal businesses succeed.

Looking ahead, he says to expect more family activities and experiences. If you haven’t been to Clay County in a while, he says now’s a good time. Try the Rail Explorers or grab a pepperoni roll at Legacy Foods. He says it’s the best around, and Facebook agrees.