Two new faces are joining the City of Demorest Downtown Development Authority, and now, they’re sharing why they chose to pursue the position.
The Demorest City Council voted last week to appoint former councilman Jim Welborn and Piedmont University Biology Professor Rebecca Godwin to the DDA at the suggestion of DDA member Lawrence Bridges.
Welborn, a Demorest local, served on the city council for a year before failing to be re-elected during the November 2021 municipal elections. He says that he sees serving on the DDA as a way to serve the city in a different way.
“I view it as a continuation to be able to serve the city,” Welborn said. “I no longer hold the council position, but this is another way that I can still be involved in trying to help the city, and having to watch out for the citizens– helping them move the city forward in some way.”
He went on to sat that he enjoys servant leadership in the city, and he hopes to contribute to the development of Demorest.
“I enjoy working for the people and being a servant for them,” Welborn says. “So, I hope that I can still serve in this capacity in a fruitful way.”
While Godwin doesn’t live in Demorest, she says spends a lot of her time in the city as Piedmont professor.
“I think it’s really important to be involved in my local community,” Godwin said. “I think mindful city planning by conscientious and invested residents is one of the best ways to create [a] vibrant downtown community atmosphere.”
She says she’s worked with city planning before, and that when she has, she’s seen “very positive outcomes.” She hopes she can do the same for the Demorest and Piedmont communities.
“Piedmont University is an integral component of downtown Demorest, and I agree with other DDA members that having the university represented and involved is important,” Godwin said. “My main hope for the DDA, and they are already making moves in this direction, is that we are able to create valuable community spaces in the downtown area, adding both retail space and outdoor activity and community spaces.”
