Three County departments were recognized for excellence at a Forsyth County Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Nov. 21.

The Department of Parks & Recreation was recently awarded the Georgia Recreation of Parks Association (GRPA) 2024 District 7 and State of Georgia Agency of the Year awards. Director of Parks & Recreation Kirk Franz said both awards are reflections of the unwavering support of the Board of Commissioners and tireless dedication of Parks & Recreation staff.

“From designing innovative programs to maintaining our parks and creating spaces that bring people together, our staff consistently goes above and beyond to serve this community,” Franz said.

Additionally, National Resource Division Supervisor Carrie Toth was named GRPA District 7 Parks and Outdoor Professional of the Year. National Resource Supervisor Tim Daniel was named GRPA District 7 Facility and Grounds Professional of the Year.

Executive Director of GRPA Steve Card attended the Nov. 21 meeting and said Forsyth County Parks & Recreation stood out from a “record-breaking number of submissions” because of its high social capital, which is the quality and quantity of social interaction between residents in a community.

Forsyth County Parks & Recreation manages and maintains approximately 3,000 acres of park land and 30 parks, from active and passive parks to campgrounds, lake parks and preserves.

The departments of Voter Registrations & Elections and Employment Services were also recognized at the Board’s Nov. 21 meeting for their partnership and exemplary service in 2024.

Both departments worked together to onboard over 640 poll workers over the course of three elections in 2024, with the Elections Office conducting 69 poll worker training sessions.

Over the course of the elections in 2024, 184,554 ballots were cast. Advance Voting in the fall, which was held over a 17-day period, saw 108,970 ballots cast. On Election Day on Nov. 5, 2024, 29 polling places were open for voting in the General Election and Special Elections, and Forsyth County saw a voter turnout of 82.97%, which was the fourth highest voter turnout rate in the state of Georgia.

The Board of Commissioners thanked all three departments for their tireless dedication and commitment to excellent service.