Sig Hutchinson has been appointed as chairman of the national Parks, Open Space and Trails Subcommittee for the National Association of Counties (NACo). Hutchinson’s appointment was made by NACo President Greg Cox and is a one-year term.
The appointment comes at a time when Wake County, for a fourth consecutive year, has been named the healthiest county in North Carolina by County Health Rankings.
“I am honored to serve on the NACo Parks, Open Space and Trails Subcommittee and be part of a national conversation on the creation and preservation of spaces that improve the health and quality of life for all communities,” Hutchinson said. “I look forward to learning from the experiences of fellow advocates from across the country, as well as sharing the successes we have achieved in Wake County.”
This newly-formed Subcommittee is part of the Environment, Energy and Land Use Steering Committee, which Hutchinson has been a member of since 2018. Other NACo committees Hutchinson has served include the Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) Steering Committee and the Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board.
Locally, Hutchinson is often referred to as ‘Mr. Greenjeans’ for his long-standing advocacy for parks, greenways and open spaces. For more than 25 years, he has served on a wide variety of committees and commissions focused on protecting and preserving the natural resources across the Triangle region and Wake County. He has been the driving force behind the master plan of more than 200 miles of interconnected greenways throughout the Triangle, as well as leading seven bond initiatives, totaling more than $300 million for open space preservation, parks, greenways, transportation and affordable housing. Hutchinson has received several awards and recognition for his work including the Goodmon Award, Fred Fletcher Award, A.E. Finley Distinguished Service Award, Tar Heel of the Week, Green Advocate of the Year, and NC Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects Citizen’s Award.
The National Association of Counties (NACo) strengthens America’s counties, including nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees. Founded in 1935, NACo unites county officials to advocate for county government priorities in federal policymaking; promote exemplary county policies and practices; nurture leadership skills and expand knowledge networks; optimize county and taxpayer resources and cost savings; and enrich the public’s understanding of county government. www.naco.org
