Mecklenburg County

Make way, Park and Recreation's all-terrain wheelchairs are here! Over 25 staff members are trained and ready to help residents with disabilities use these wheelchairs to safely explore greenways, trails and our other outdoor spaces. We're committed to creating equitable opportunities for everyone to enjoy outdoor activities! Reserve all-terrain wheelchairs Monday through Friday for up to three hours for FREE: https://meck.co/4fnYFwH

Congratulations to our Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Strategy and Innovation for being recognized for their Community Service Grant process! We're one of only seven communities to be recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) with an Award for Excellence: https://meck.co/3DkGOJT The teams were recognized for providing an innovative solution to a common problem: determining which nonprofits to fund and how to hold them accountable for results. Our program simplifies the way nonprofits apply for funding and includes a review process that requires recipients to submit quarterly invoices, expense reports and performance data. Lauren Tayara, senior management and budget analyst, and Gauge Tillman, strategy and innovation analyst, led the effort with support from their teams! 📸 : Lauren Tayara and Gauge Tillman presenting at a Community Service Grant information session.

It's official! Our Solid Waste is an Environmental Steward. That's the highest level of membership in the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Environmental Stewardship Initiative. The organization said they were impressed by our team’s robust Environmental Management System, a written document that educates staff on how to best care for the environment. It includes issues like oil spills, hazardous materials and other environmental risks. Being named to the Steward level distinguishes Solid Waste as a leader in environmental performance. Way to go, team!

Local seniors got a special holiday delivery from us! Dozens of volunteers teamed up with our Child, Family and Adult Services staff and partners to pack 1,250 gift bags. Each bag is full of fruit, treats and an activity packet to help engage the mind. They were delivered to homebound seniors in our Senior Citizens Nutrition Program: https://meck.co/4feypVi “The gift bags demonstrate to our seniors that they are all special and someone is thinking about them during this holiday period,” said program manager Kajal Patel. A HUGE thank you to the many organizations who helped with these efforts!

We're winning on and off the field! Our American Legion Memorial Stadium took home the 2024 Urban Design Award for "Great New Life for an Old Place"! This is Charlotte's oldest stadium, built in 1936. Major renovations in 2019 made it possible to now host soccer, lacrosse and football games and other community events like festivals and concerts. THANK YOU to the City of Charlotte Urban Design Center and the UNC Charlotte David R. Ravin School of Architecture for this recognition!

BEEP BEEP! Calling all transit enthusiasts! Charlotte Area Transit System is accepting applications for the NEW Public Transit Advisory Committee. You'll meet monthly to review transit policies, collect feedback and make recommendations to the Metropolitan Transit Commission. Apply by January 3, 2025 if you: https://meck.co/41noWrw - Want to improve local transit, - Use public transportation, - Live in Mecklenburg County and more.

Who better to learn from than your peers? Our Public Health Mentoring Program helps build supportive relationships, strengthen the professional development of the public health workforce and goal setting. There are also mentors offering guidance and support along the way. Thank you to everyone who made this program a success. Your dedication is shaping the future of public health!

What’s trending? Our third and largest Social Media Summit yet! Mecklenburg County’s social media team welcomed government content creators from North AND South Carolina to dive into topics like reaching Gen Z, making content accessible and tackling misinformation. The summit also featured Kristi Nickodem, assistant professor of Public Law and Government at the UNC School of Government, who shared insights on the First Amendment and social media! Our small but mighty team created more than 1,500 award-winning posts across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and Nextdoor last year: https://meck.co/41y1urT

THIS MONTH: 48 businesses with air quality permits attended the Air Quality Forum to learn about new regulations and and the work our team is doing in the community. This year presentations included a look at cutting-edge emission reduction technology piloted in Mecklenburg County. A big shoutout to air quality specialist Morgan Snead for leading the way in permitting and regulating this new technology as air agencies across the country look to us. She's also shared her work with the National Association of Clean Air Agencies’ Air Toxics Committee! Thank you to our entire Air Quality team for your hard work in keeping our air clean and our community healthy!

Ready to grow into a new role at Mecklenburg County? MeckEmerge is a leadership program for employees looking to step into supervisory positions! It helps our employees build confidence, learn basic management skills and understand leadership responsibilities to prepare them for future roles. Application for the next class is open until December 16. Check the latest Employee News Now newsletter for more info.