No one else has this job in our County government but her! Meet Savannah Simpson, Park and Recreation’s senior aquarist. You may be thinking, what’s an aquarist and how does one become one? We asked Savannah that (plus more), so we’ll let her take it from here.
Continue ReadingEdited 3/15/23 to include late Commissioner Ella B. Scarborough.
The County has a long history of trailblazing women whose leadership, strength, courage, and achievements help shape our organization. In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re recognizing some of the women who have made those invaluable contributions.
Continue ReadingThere are a lot of great job opportunities available these days. With the right skills and background, you can have your pick of jobs in any number of fields. If public service is on your list, you should consider a career in government. Mecklenburg County has rewarding job opportunities available right now. Here are a few tips to help in your search for the perfect job with Mecklenburg County.
Continue ReadingWritten by Amy Rogers
Growing up in urban Richmond, Va., Lee Jones couldn’t have imagined the path that would lead him to a career in architecture and ultimately, the directorship of the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department.
As a boy, he noticed the concrete buildings around him were cold in winter and hot in summer. In middle school, he was selected to take part in “A Better Chance,” a government program that sought out promising minority students and funded their education at the country’s most exclusive college preparatory schools. Jones chose Groton School in Massachusetts.
Continue ReadingWith more than 5,000 employees, Mecklenburg County probably has a lot of jobs you’ve never heard of before. One of them might be Strategic Planning and Evaluation Analyst in the County Manager’s Office. That’s Karli Godfrey’s job title. Basically, it means she helps departments plan and execute programs, projects and initiatives, then figure out whether those projects met their goals. When I asked her to explain her job to a five-year-old, Karli said, “I get to help people in charge make good decisions. I spend lots of time talking to people, and on the computer learning. Then I take all of the interesting things I find and get to tell other people through charts and pictures.”
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After nearly 15 years as a human resources (HR) professional, Darcia Sanders had reached a plateau in her career. The opportunities for growth and development were unpromising. Her husband suggested they embrace the change of direction their life was taking, and explore opportunities in Charlotte. After some research, the “rich history, stability and endless possibilities” with the County made accepting an offer to work here an easy decision for her.
Continue ReadingWe’ve all heard the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” There’s a reason for that! Good nutrition is vital to good health and disease prevention. And it’s essential to “growing up big and strong” as my grandmother used to say. Eating nutritious foods (along with a little exercise, of course) can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Those are some of the leading causes of death in our County and the country.
Seems easy enough, right? If I eat healthy food, I will be healthier. But it’s not that simple. Not everyone has access to healthy food. I know! It’s hard to believe that in 2020, there are people in our community who don’t have access to a grocery store to get the foods they need to live healthy lives.
Reggie Singleton, one of Public Health’s policy coordinators, was inspired by the fruit tree orchards he grew up with in the Sea Islands of Charleston, SC. He suggested partnering with other community organizations to install orchards and a system for distributing the food to the communities with food insecurity. And the Edible Landscape Project was born!
With support and partnership from community organizations, Public Health and its partners have established multiple orchards across priority communities in Mecklenburg County. The orchards produce plums, figs, pears, peaches and persimmons. They have even expanded to plant seasonal herbs and vegetables like squash, string beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Neighbors harvest, process and distribute food to nearby community members directly or through the church food pantry. To date, their efforts have supplied fresh, nutritious food to over 25,000 people in the County. Here’s a look inside how the orchards work.
Earlier this year, the Edible Landscapes Project received a Best In Category award from the National Association of Counties. This project combined with farmers markets and healthy corner stores is helping communities get better access to healthy food.
A big thanks to our community partners for helping establish and nurture our Edible Landscapes: N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, TreesCharlotte, Village HeartBeat, Mecklenburg Extension Master Gardener, and The Males Place Inc.
You’ve heard us say it before, but we’ll say it again – there are so many career paths and opportunities within the County, many of which you probably never thought would fall under the category of a “government job.” Take animation, for example. Did you ever think you could come to the County to create cartoons?
Of course, the answer is that you CAN!
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