FY 19-20 MILESTONES
FISCAL YEAR 19-20 was another eventful year
for the Town of Garner . Here are some of the biggest highlights :
July 2019
The National Recreation and Park Association ( NRPA ) selected the Garner Parks , Recreation and Cultural Resources Department — specifically White Deer Park — as grand prize winner in its firstever national BioBlitz , a program that is part of the organization ’ s Parks for Pollinators initiative .
August 2019
The Town sold the final installment of general obligation bonds as approved by referendum in 2013 . The total amount for this sale was $ 7,190,000 ( Streets and Sidewalks Bonds in the amount of $ 6,591,000 , Parks and Recreation Bonds totaling $ 599,000 ). Voters approved a total of $ 35.7 million in general obligation bond issuances in 2013 .
In response to a remarkable citizen-led initiative , the Town Council voted to change the name of Rand Mill Park to Jackie Johns Sr . Community Park . Mr . Johns , a longtime Town Council member , passed away in January 2019 at the age of 81 . The park is located at 508 Rand Mill Road in the neighborhood where Mr . Johns and his wife , Lila , lived with their two sons .
October 2019
Garner was selected to be one of 35 communities in the United States to host the traveling Wall That Heals , a three-quarter-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial . The wall was to have been on display in Garner in April 2020 ; however , it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Organizers hope to be able to bring the wall to Garner in 2021 .
November 2019
Municipal elections ushered in sweeping change for Garner , with the election of two new Town Council members — Demian Dellinger and Phil Matthews — and new Mayor Ken Marshburn . Mr . Marshburn succeeded Mayor Ronnie Williams , who had served as mayor for 14 years . In addition , Council Member Elmo Vance was elected to his first full term as a Council member . He had been appointed earlier in the year to complete the term of late Council Member Jackie Johns , who passed away in January 2019 .
September 2019
The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting was awarded to the Town of Garner by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada ( GFOA ) for the Town ’ s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report ( CAFR ) for the fiscal year ending June 30 , 2018 . It was the 29th consecutive year that the Finance Department earned the honor . The Town also earned the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting for the sixth consecutive year .
In December 2019 , the Historic Garner Depot was moved from its previous location on East Garner Road to a new permanent home at Main and Pearl Streets . A renovation of the depot was undertaken so that it could become home to a museum dedicated to the history of Garner .
8 2020 Popular Annual Financial Report