GREAT Committee Reports
May 15, 2014
Economic
Development, Business and Industry Committee
·
Joint meeting of the GREAT Business Committee and the Graham
County Economic Development Council was held to explore opportunities for
collaboration on projects. Members of both committees were tasked to determine
the top five areas of priority.
Education and
Workforce Development Committee
·
The class has completed the project
with the USFS to rebuild and upgrade bathroom facilities at Joyce Kilmer
Memorial Forest.
·
Extension of the NC Department
of Health and Human Services – PREPare for Success/Teen Outreach Program for
an additional year in the amount of $107,200.
· The RHS Greenway Project will hire 4 -5 students and one supervisor to extend the walking trail at RHS. This will be a 615 ft. extension and will be 8 ft. wide. It will be graveled with plans to pave as soon as funds are available. Further future plans include building an outdoor classroom as well. The purpose of this grant funding is to prevent obesity and aid in controlling diabetes.
· During Spring Break, several students from RHS and RMS attended Peach Jam at Florida State University. This experience allowed these students to work closely with Nobel Peace Prize winners as well as provided activities which involved collaboration, problem-solving, and team-working. April Johnson, RMS Indian Education Coordinator spearheaded this event.
· Several middle and high school teachers have attended NC Real Entrepreneurship training and plans are in place for these teachers to return to their respective schools and train other teachers. The current plan is to provide offer Entrepreneurship Camp for students in the summer of 2015.
· The STEM E Grant, a regional grant which allotted $41,000 to GCS has been used locally to purchase an IPad cart for the RMS/RHS campus and to provide an additional computer lab for the Robbinsville Middle School.
· The Dolly Parton Imagination Library was initiated in September 2009. To date the DPIL has served 661 children, ages birth to kindergarten, 277 are currently registered, and 323 children have graduated from the program.
· The 21st Century Learning Grant is now serving grades K – 6 and will offer summer programs at Robbinsville Elementary, Robbinsville Middle and High School, and the Stecoah Valley Center.
· Graham County Schools will be providing a “Seamless Summer Breakfast and Lunch” free to all school-age children, five days per week throughout the summer. This program will be located in the Robbinsville High School cafeteria.
· The RHS Carpentry program held Open House for the newly completed house built by the carpentry students. Craig Pendergraft, T & I Consultant from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction was on site for the festivities.
· Drug prevention is now being taught in the After School program and students in the 4th grade.
·
Two students, Matt Edwards and Malachi Williams, recently
participated in the AAA Auto Skills Competition at the Charlotte Motor Speedway
in Concord North Carolina.
Leadership
and Government Committee
·
The Graham 4-H Youth Council had a
‘Bowling for a Cause’ fundraiser on Saturday, May 10. The youth made
handmade pottery bowls and local potters donated bowls. These were sold with
lunch for $20. The Council raised over $600.
Recreation, Natural Resources and Water Quality Committee
·
Lake
Santeetlah clean-up netted 53 bags of trash and a truckload of oversized items.
We had 15 participants including several students from Robbinsville High School.
Well over half of the trash was taken to the recycling center.
·
The
road side Clean Sweep headed up by David Hagen and 21 other participants
gathered over 115 bags trash.
·
The
Committee held another work day with six participants on the Lake Santeetlah
Bike and Equestrian Trail. We had a successful ribbon cutting ceremony and
inaugural ride with 25 people in attendance.
·
The
Partners of Joyce Kilmer, along with the Forest Service held a full day of work
at Joyce Kilmer with 25+ participants.
·
The
Partners of Joyce Kilmer will be holding a fund raiser on May 31st, "Is it
Art or is it Junk". See flyer for details.
·
Pending
approval of the GREAT board, the NRRWQ committee will be taking over scenic
overlook maintenance starting in the fall and winter.
·
With
the efforts of Crisp and Crisp, private donations and volunteer labor, the 1st
phase of the Stecoah Valley Center Play Park is almost complete. The centerpiece
is new playground equipment.
Revitalization and Infrastructure Committee
·
$4,450 has been raised to create a
Memorial Garden. Plaques, benches, trees and other streetscape amenities
will be installed to enhance downtown and the bypass. Suggestions for a
name for the garden are appreciated.
·
Exterior
paint is
available for downtown business owners to paint their businesses. Some
restrictions apply but please ask any owner to contact me at 828
506-9008 (cell).
·
NCDOT Ford Street Safe
Routes to School Project continues
to progress.
Tourism and Mountain Culture Committee