Leadership class officers chosen
By Matt Shaw
Published in News on December 27, 2004 1:55 PM
The 2004-2005 class of Leadership Wayne County has chosen its officers and a class project.
The group elected Keith Westbrook, operations manager of Progress Energy, as class president and Darren Goroski, aquatics director of the Goldsboro YMCA, as vice president. Cheryl Brims, customer service manager of RBC Centura, will be treasurer and Kim Bowers, plant manager of Hilex Poly Co., secretary.
The group also decided to clean up the Cogdell family cemetery, one of the last remnants of the Waynesborough township. The burial site in the Waynesborough Village is overgrown with brush and foliage, and access to the cemetery is limited due to vegetation.
The class plans to clean up the cemetery to preserve it as it may have looked in 1839 when several family members were buried. It will also provide a well-marked, safe access path to the grave site.
Both the Leadership Wayne County regents and the Waynesborough Park Board of Directors support the project, which will be completed in early 2005.
The 16-member class held its "Law and Government" Day on Friday, Dec. 17.
The day started at Goldsboro City Hall with an informal open discussion meeting with Mayor Al King, City Manager Richard Slozak, County Manager Lee Smith and Senator John Kerr. The class learned of Goldsboro's innovative approach to water and sewer and that many other municipalities view Goldsboro as the role model in the state.
It then toured the city's fire and police stations. Anthony Slater of the Goldsboro Fire Department briefed the class on the new testing and performance requirements. Police Chief Tim Bell spoke about efforts to improve police coverage.
The class then toured Wayne County's 911 center.
After lunch, Jim Slowinski spoke to the group about leadership and volunteerism.
The afternoon included a tour of the county jail, the Register of Deed's Office, and the Tax Office. The day concluded with an informal question and answer session with District Court Judge Rose Williams.
The group held its Agriculture Day in November. That included tours of Carolina Turkeys, Mt. Olive Pickle Co., Goldsboro Milling and the Cooperative Extension Office.
The day focused on the continuing importance of agriculture to the county's economy. It concluded with a pop quiz.
Leadership Wayne County is sponsored by the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and the Wayne Charitable Partnership. Corporate Sponsors this year are Accucopy, T.A. Loving Co., Wayne Memorial Hospital, and E.J. Pope and Sons.
Leadership Wayne County meets once a month for seven months for educational sessions that provide an inside look into Wayne County. For more information on the program or an application for next year, call the chamber at (919) 734-2241.