Order of the Hornet

County Commissioner Neil Cooksey, who passed away last Wednesday, was awarded posthumously the County's highest honor, the Order of the Hornet at Tuesday's Board meeting. Cooksey was first elected to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners in 2008. A Republican, he served nearly two full terms on the Board representing District 5. Cooksey worked full-time as the in-house counsel for Akima Management Services in Charlotte. He graduated from Davidson College with a political science degree and from the University of Michigan Law School. On May 27, 2010, Cooksey announced at the Board meeting that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but doctors had performed surgery and that he considered himself cancer-free. After additional complications, Cooksey entered hospice earlier this summer.

Employee Recognition

The Commission recognized the hard work of County employees during FY 12. Awards were presented for the following:

• Employee of the Year: Felicia McAdoo - Sheriff's Office
• Courtesy and Respect: Dorothy Alexander - Displaced Homemaker Unit, Community Support Services
• Service Quality: Joseph Rapley - Operation Recovery of Mecklenburg County Provided Services Organization
• Timeliness: Rhonda Buckner - GIS
• Communication: David Greene - LUESA
• Ethics: Danny Wooten LUESA
• Team of the Year: Guardianship Unit, DSS which includes Ken Bragg, Linda Hamer, Lisa Looby, Tienna Long, Darryl Moore, Wanda Moss, Susan Palmer, Marty Prunty, Tasha Roberts, Barbara Stewart, Kim Davis, and Maria Genie.

Park and Rec Wins Gold Medal Award

County Manager Jones announced to the Board that Park and Recreation had received the 2012 NRPA Gold Medal Award. The award is presented annually to agencies that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition.

Mecklenburg County Vision

Commissioners approved the following modifications to the Mecklenburg County Vision.