Three Candidates For Board Of Commissioners Slot Express Strong Support For County’s Parks And Recreation Department

Oconee County Parks and Recreation Director John Gentry told the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 30 that the county is at a decision point regarding the future of the operation of its parks.

The commissioners must decide if the Parks and Recreation Department should continue both to manage facilities and to manage youth and adult programs, or if the department should play a lesser role, perhaps only managing facilities.

Lisa Davol, deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department, made exactly the same argument to the Citizen Advisory Committee on Recreational Affairs at its meeting in Sept. 20.

The Board of Commissioners has taken no action on the request from Gentry for guidance on the future of his programs, making it likely that the new Commission in January will have to address the question.

All three candidates running for the open seat on the Board of Commissioners on the ballot on Tuesday say they support the programs run by the Parks and Recreation Department, but Ben Bridges was the only one who was unequivocal in saying the county should provide Gentry the funds he has requested.

For more on the story, go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Ben Bridges.