Gastonia’s micro-transit service, Davidson co-responder program honored

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Leaders of Davidson and Indian Trail were awarded for improving their residents’ quality of life, and Gastonia landed a pair of honors as part of the Centralina Regional Council’s annual awards announced Thursday.

Davidson and Indian Trail received the Improving Quality of Life award, which is given to communities that aspire to enable all people with the amenities, services and opportunities they need to thrive.

In May 2023, the Davidson Police Department announced the implementation of its new co-responder program, a hybrid model where the DPD and a designated clinician collaborate on responding to calls for service. Officers evaluate the nature of the call and whether law enforcement action is appropriate or if the co-responder better fits the needs of the resident. The goal is to reduce the need for future calls to 911.

In 2021, Indian Trail used $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to support nonprofits and service organizations in the community. Since 2022, the town has assisted numerous organizations, schools and first responders in providing additional resources, focusing on Union County’s most vulnerable populations, including children, senior citizens and those experiencing food and shelter needs.

The Region of Excellence Awards recognize individuals, communities and organizations for their outstanding achievements over the previous calendar year in support of Centralina’s mission to expand opportunity and improve quality of life in the nine-county region. The region includes Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Lincoln, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties.

Further, Gastonia receives two awards, for Cross-Community Collaboration and Clean Cities.

Cross-Community Collaboration

Keep Gastonia Beautiful brought together the Gastonia Farmers Market and Healthy Highland/Really Amazing Meals with Soul Kitchen to connect local farmers with a community experiencing food insecurity while educating citizens and youth on the farm-to-table experience through a variety of educational pieces.

Clean Cities

The city approved a contract in January to launch the GoGastonia micro-transit service. It aims to phase out a fixed-route system that faced challenges such as limited service areas, long wait times, an aging fleet and insufficient access to bus stops. GoGastonia promises on-demand, curb-to-curb access similar to rideshare services, aiming to address these issues more efficiently.

Other awards include:

· Aging in Action Award: Carrie Black

Black founded Integrity Home Mobility Inc. in 2020 after recognizing a significant need while working as a physical therapist assistant in a home care setting. Since April 2023, Integrity Home Mobility Inc. has assisted more than 270 clients enrolled in Centralina’s aging programs.

· Aging in Action Award: Council on Aging in Union County

The Council on Aging piloted a new program dedicated to evidence-based safety strategies specifically aligned with the needs of older adults. Older residents can call on the program to help with home repairs and improvements in addition to requesting emergency response equipment.

· James D. Prosser Excellence in Government Leadership Award: Michael Ferris

Ferris spent nearly 30 years serving to the City of Albemarle. Until his retirement in February, the council says Ferris played a pivotal role in transforming the city from a former textile mill town into a vibrant and modern community.

This year’s panel of independent judges includes: Larken Egleston (district director, Congressman Jeff Jackson), Dr. Jaclyn Piatak (professor, UNC Charlotte), Maria Stroupe (former town manager, Town of Dallas) and Danna Stansbury (executive director, Foothills Regional Commission).

A separate panel of experts evaluated the Clean Fuels category; judges included Michelle Alfini (Climate Reporter, WSOC-TV), Megan Green (Air Quality program manager, Mecklenburg County) and Christopher Facente (dean of Skilled Trades & Transportation, Central Piedmont Community College).

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