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WARSAW — The Warsaw Parks and Recreation Center was filled with light, laughter, and lively conversation Thursday evening as residents and local officials came together to discuss the town’s growth, upcoming developments, and current challenges in an open format hosted by the Town of Warsaw, its Chamber of Commerce, and several local area businesses. The event allowed the public a rare opportunity to connect with their community leaders on a human level and helped bridge the gap between the municipality and those it serves.
Mayor A.J. Connors, who championed the community-wide gathering, emphasized the importance of an open dialogue. “I believe every once in a while folks should be able to come out and ask questions in an informal manner,” said Connors. Town board meetings often limit residents to just three minutes to ask questions or make comments, often with no opportunity to receive a response. The nature of these meetings leaves little room for the kind of in-depth conversations needed to nurture essential community relationships – a shortcoming this event sought to circumvent.
“Our objective is that people get an opportunity to mingle and pose questions on an independent level,” Connors explained. “It’s just good community relationships, is what it boils down to.”
In his opening address, the mayor thanked those instrumental to the event’s orchestration, including Chamber of Commerce president Frank Rhodes, Town Manager Lea Turner, members of the Warsaw Board of Commissioners, as well as all of the local businesses and organizations that contributed to the evening. Other local leaders in attendance included Duplin County Sheriff Stratton Stokes, County Commissioner Wayne Branch, as well as Warsaw Chief of Police Patrick Giddeons.
Event-goers entered the gymnasium in a steady flow and were free to visit booths for various local groups, businesses, and organizations, such as DNA Community Youth Center, local business Forgotten Treasures, Warsaw Baptist Church, the Eastern Carolina Council (ECC), Warsaw Parks and Rec, James Sprunt Community College, Public Works, Boyscout Troop 44, Girlscout Troop 4304, and the Warsaw Police Department among assorted others. Representatives from ECC educated and surveyed attendees on phase two of proposed renovations to the recreation center, including a walking trail and two multipurpose fields suggested by residents of Warsaw in a previous survey, as they work to obtain a grant to finalize the community’s vision for the center.
In addition to the booths arranged for local businesses and organizations to interact with attendees, a table with light refreshments was provided by Rhodes, who helped arrange the event.
“We were talking with the mayor and chatting about what would allow the citizens and businesses to get an opportunity to meet and greet their elected officials,” said Rhodes. “Nothing brings people together more than food.”
Among the many topics discussed was the town’s growth in recent years and its expected growth in the years to come.
“We’re in a productive state,” Connors said, indicating approximately 70 homes to be built in the area as well as an overnight RV parking lot just off of I-40. “Warsaw has received over $20 million in the last seven and a half years. That’s a lot for a small town like we have, and every penny has been accounted for by our auditors. We got a lot to be proud of here in Warsaw.”
Officials were pleased with the turnout for the event, which saw members of the community connect with local leadership in a way that’s become all too rare in the present age. “For this being a first opportunity, it’s been great,” said Rhodes. “Really, most of the issues arise because people don’t have the answers as to ‘why.’ This gives them the opportunity to walk up and ask ‘why?’” As for whether the Warsaw community can expect another such gathering in the future, the mayor is optimistic. “I think I’ll hear that they want to do this again,” said Connors. “I’m grateful for all that came out.”
