Scott County Judge Executive Joe Pat Covington commended Georgetown/Scott County Parks and Recreation Tuesday after the department received CAPRA accreditation from the National Recreation and Park Association.

"It sets a standard and it measures your agency to other agencies across the nation," said Drew Beckett, parks staff, describing the accreditation as the result of a multi‑year effort. "That's probably the biggest testament you can turn around and say to all the residents of our county the job that we're doing."

The proclamation read by Covington says the department provides services through 16 parks, three recreation facilities, 11 park sites and five recreational buildings and noted the department is the fourth in Kentucky and among the top 2 percent nationwide to earn CAPRA accreditation. The court paused for photos and public thanks to the parks team, including maintenance and program staff named during the presentation.

Why it matters: CAPRA accreditation is a voluntary national program that evaluates a park agency’s operations, management and service. County officials said the designation demonstrates adherence to national standards and supports the department’s claims of community recognition, external funding readiness and accountability.

What happened next: Parks staff accepted the proclamation and said the recognition reflected teamwork rather than any single individual. The court did not take formal action beyond issuing the proclamation; the honor will appear on next week’s business meeting agenda for formal acknowledgment.