A recommendation from the former Granville County Recreation Advisory Committee and the Granville Greenway Technical Committee has resulted in the formation of a new advisory group to help plan and implement the county’s recreational needs, as well as the Greenway Master Plan. On July 1, the county’s Board of Commissioners voted to dissolve the former structures of both committees and to create a new one that will advise the Board on matters related to parks, greenways and recreation.
“Greenways are becoming more and more a form of recreation, in addition to transportation,” explained Granville County Management Analyst Charla Duncan. With a goal of creating a group that is a more efficient and effective representation of the County’s recreation, parks and greenway needs, 11 committee members were named at the Aug. 5 Commissioners’ meeting.
Appointed to the new Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Committee are Allen Nelson (District 1), Reginald T. Harris (District 2), Glenda Williams (District 3), Betty Lou Davis (District 4). Joshua H. Averette (District 5), Ivan S. Washburn (District 5) and Michael McFadden (District 7).
Serving as at-large members of the committee are Mara Shelton, Marilyn Howard, Richard Rote and Ginnie Currin, rounding out the 11-member voting group. Most of these committee members had served on either the Granville Greenways Technical Committee or the Recreation Advisory Committee before the merger.
“This slate of names balances knowledge from each of the previous committees, along with a diversity and balance of backgrounds, geographic location and new voices at the table,” said Duncan, who brought the proposal before the Board. “This new committee will continue to work to broaden the scope of recreation – including greenways – while still maintaining the goals that had been set since the previous committees were established.”
Ex-Officio members – who will serve on the committee but will not vote – are County Commissioners Sue Hinman and Tim Karan, as well as Raymond Allen (Granville County’s Parks and Grounds Director), Angela Allen (Granville County Tourism Development Director), Michael Williford (Town of Stovall Commissioner) and Michael Kelly (Regional Planning Board/Council of Government).
Each committee member will serve a term of two-years.
The first meeting of the newly-formed committee will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 20, with Duncan and Granville County Transportation Planner Justin Jorgensen providing guidance and support. Additional meetings will be held at the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford at 5 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.
For additional information on this committee, its goals and objectives, contact Charla Duncan at 919-693-5240 or Justin Jorgensen at 919-603-1332.
###