DGDC honors friends, patrons
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on September 22, 2013 1:50 AM
There was plenty to celebrate at the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. Annual Dinner and Awards Celebration in the wake of the news that Goldsboro had been chosen to receive a $10 million transportation grant for work in downtown, a fact that was mentioned liberally throughout the night.
The dinner, hosted by the DGDC on the front lawn of the Wayne County Courthouse, serves to recognize members of the community influential in the improvement of downtown Goldsboro and to update the community on what the DGDC has been up to during the year.
The dinner opened with comments from incoming DGDC Board Vice President Ed Swindell who took the place of Terry Light as she moved up into outgoing president, Geoff Hulse's position.
Ms. Light said that she is honored to have served with Hulse as long as she did and is also honored to be able to lead the DGDC "for a little while."
Hulse stepped up to the podium for the last time to give his final address as president of the board to announce the changes in the board as well as to dub DGDC Director Julie Metz with her new name, Julie "TIGER grant" Metz, which was met with "grrs" from the audience.
The TIGER 2013 grant is given through the U.S. Department of Transportation for projects in an area that improve transportation in a community.
The city applied for $16.5 million in funding to complete construction of the new GATEWAY bus transfer facility, renovate Goldsboro Union Station and do three new blocks of Center Street Streetscape as well as connecting Union Station to Center Street through Walnut Street with Streetscape.
The city is receiving $10 million and is expected to lump $3.3 million onto the grant for a local match giving the city the funds to complete all of the projects barring Union Station, City Manager Scott Stevens said.
Another project highlighted at the dinner was the renovation to the DGDC office on John Street.
The building was valued at $16,640 before the renovation and is now valued at $220,000, Hulse said.
He also said the tax revenue on the property has increased 171 percent since the renovations.
"I look there and see shells of other buildings waiting for others to come, and they will come. Imagine what filling all the slots will do," Hulse said.
Incoming president Ms. Light spoke about her time on the board with Hulse and how while they may have been at war in the courtroom they dearly care for each other.
"You may not want to see us two crying like two teenage girls at a Beiber concert but oh well," Ms. Light said. "The $10 million coming down at the same time he's leaving has Geoff exiting like the rock star that he is."
She went on to describe Ms. Metz as the powerhouse behind the grant and countless other downtown projects in the works in Goldsboro.
"It took two people to replace Tasha (Logan as assistant city manager) but you can't afford the number of people you would need to replace Julie Metz," Ms. Light said.
Entertainment was provided by saxophonist Scott McConnaughey.
Special Recognition
Categories:
Best Curb Appeal
Baddour, Parker and Hine, PC
Best Promotional
or Marketing Effort
Sallie's Bridal Shop
Best New Business
The Village Rising
Indicator Of The Year
Friends of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig - 1st Major Public Art Installation
Thank You Award
Elite Fashions and the Goldsboro Police Department, SEU (Selective Enforcement Unit)
Award of Merit Winners:
Mary Johnstone Award of Merit for Historic Preservation
Amy & Jay Bauer
Volunteer of the Year
Jim Hinnant
DGDC Design Improvement
Thistle Bee Quilt Shoppe
DGDC Advocate of the Year
Rep. G.K. Butterfield
DGDC Board Member
of the Year
Michael Headen
Outstanding Investor
BB&T
Most Valuable Supporter
DH Daniels Plumbing Co.
Outstanding Business
of the Year
University Lights
Lifetime Achievement Award
Tasha Logan