2019 Popular Annual Financial Report volume 1 | Page 6

G arner
at a
G lance
T
HE TOWN OF GARNER has a council-
manager form of government with a
mayor and five-member Town Council.
Elections for the office of Town Council are held
at two-year intervals in the November of odd-
numbered years. Elections are non-partisan, and
all members of the Town Council are elected to
four-year terms. The mayor is elected to a four-
year term at the same time elections for Town
Council are held.
The Town Council sets Town policies, enacts
ordinances and appoints the town manager, who
administers the daily operations and programs
of the municipal government through the
department heads and other staff and employees.
The City of Raleigh’s Public Utilities Department
operates a water distribution system, a sanitary
sewer collection system and a wastewater
treatment facility that service Garner. Garner
Volunteer Fire-Rescue, Inc., provides fire and
emergency responder services, and Wake County
EMS also serves the town.
The Town of Garner is one of a small number
of local governments with nationally accredited
Police, Public Works and Parks, Recreation and
Cultural Resources Departments.
Garner has six community parks, several
neighborhood parks and two recently established
dog parks. The system includes White Deer Park,
comprising 96 acres of passive parkland with a
LEED Gold-certified Nature Center, and adjoining
Lake Benson Park, which is home to the Garner
Veterans Memorial. The Town sponsors numerous
special events throughout the year.
In addition, the Town-owned Garner Performing
Arts Center in our historic downtown offers
award-winning programming and a diverse array
of shows by local as well as nationally touring acts
year-round.
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The Town-owned Garner Performing Arts Center brings
nationally touring acts to Garner year-round. The auditorium
also is a popular venue for local artists and entertainers.
Major employers in Garner include the Wake County
Public School System, Food Lion, Walmart, Pergo,
Cabela’s, Golden State Foods, F&D Huebner, LLC
(McDonald’s), Target and Strategic Behavioral Health.
When it opens in 2020, the new Amazon fulfillment
center will become the town’s largest employer with
an estimated 1,500 employees.
The National Civic League named Garner an
All-America City in 2013. This prestigious award
recognizes high levels of civic engagement as
well as successes arising from innovative, citizen-
led initiatives that address pressing community
challenges.
2019 P opular A nnual F inancial R eport