During the Cherokee County Park Board meeting Wednesday, Board Attorney Bob McWhorter informed the Board he was called upon by previous Board Member Dave Crum to finish the Land and Water Conservation Grant in order to bring the Park Board in Compliance with ADECA.

He said when he received the information he really did not know how to handle the requirements. So, Mcwhorter made a phone call to previous Board Member, Gary Banister to enlist his assistance in getting the situation corrected.

Banister met with McWhorter at his office to determine what needed to be done. He coached McWhorter through the process.

McWhorter said ADECA had informed him they were up against a time line to complete the process since the Board was two years past the deadline for completion of the project and closing the grant.

McWhorter told the Board he was able to complete the required paper work just in time before ADECA closed out the Grant and If that had happened, ADECA would have asked for the money already received and spent on the project to be paid back.

He said that amount would have been just over $125,000. However, due to Banister’s willingness to help the county, the Grant was completed and approved by ADECA with the final $24,860.74 sent to the Park Board in December.

McWhorter said Banister donated his time and did not charge for his services. Banister served the Board from 2009 until he resigned due to health reason in October 2012.