Accomplishments and Milestones
2020
JULY The Town of Garner received the Government Financial Officers Association ’ s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting . It was the sixth consecutive year that the Town earned the honor — every year that the Town has published a Popular Annual Financial Report ( PAFR ). The GFOA also awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Town of Garner for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report ( CAFR ) for the fiscal year ended June 30 , 2019 . It was the 31st consecutive year the Town earned that honor .
AUGUST The $ 200 million , 2.6-million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center on Jones Sausage Road became operational . The center , on the site of the former ConAgra plant , created 3,500 new jobs for area residents . The redevelopment project was announced in August 2019 .
OCTOBER The Garner Parks , Recreation and Cultural Resources Department joined the ranks of elite parks and recreation agencies across the country by earning its reaccreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies ( CAPRA ) and the National Recreation and Park Association ( NRPA ). CAPRA accreditation is the only national accreditation for park and recreation agencies , and it is a measure of an agency ’ s overall quality of operation , management and service to the community . This mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands , facilities , resources , programs , safety and services .
NOVEMBER The U . S . Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it had accepted an offer to lease 244,860 square feet of space for a new outpatient multi-specialty clinic in Garner . The site for the new construction is approximately 17 acres located on the west side of N . C . 50 between Rand Road and Arbor Greene Drive . The real property investment amount for the project is estimated to be about $ 100 million . It is estimated that the new outpatient facility will employ nearly 400 VA employees , ranging from administrative support to health-care providers . It will offer primary care and mental-health services to nearly 25,000 veterans annually from Wake County and surrounding areas .
2021
APRIL The Garner Economic Development Corporation ( GEDC ) announced the establishment of a $ 250,000 endowment with the Wake Tech Foundation that will provide scholarships to graduating seniors at Garner Magnet High School and South Garner High School who wish to further their education at Wake Tech . Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to qualify , and financial need will be considered . The scholarship may be designated to assist students in any Wake Tech degree , diploma or certificate program .
Garner ’ s Spring Litter Sweep engaged 121 volunteers who cleaned up 11.6 miles of roadway in town , picking up an estimated half ton of trash . The initiative was led by staff at White Deer Park Nature Center .
The Town of Garner won three 2021 Excellence in Communications Awards from N . C . City and County Communicators . The awards included second place statewide for a Garner Veterans Memorial audio tour featuring tour guide and veteran Spencer Cardwell . The Town also won a second-place award for the 2020 Popular Annual Financial Report and secondplace honors in photography .
JUNE Mayor Ken Marshburn proclaimed June 19 to be Juneteenth in the Town of Garner . The proclamation recognized this day as a complement to Independence Day , saying that “ Juneteenth should be celebrated alongside July 4th Independence Day and not in lieu of it .”
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