Oakland issues first ceremonial key to Warren Griffin

Oakland resident and volunteer Warren Griffin, second from right, accepts the first key to the town from the Town Commission: Rick Polland, left, Mike Satterfield, Mayor Kathy Stark and Joseph McMullen.

The first-ever key to the town has been given to Warren Griffin, who has served on numerous boards in his 17 years as an Oakland resident. Griffin and his wife, Betty Anne, are moving to Ellijay, Ga., and local officials say he and his service to the town will be missed.

“It’s going to be a huge loss for me,” Town Manager Dennis Foltz said. “Warren and I have shared a vision for this town.”

Mayor Kathy Stark and the Town Commission presented a plaque with the mounted key at the Sept. 23 regular meeting.

Stark told the West Orange Times: “Warren has been instrumental to the town of Oakland for so many things it is hard to count them. We could always depend upon Warren to be the voice of reason and to bring his expertise to the table on so many subjects and projects. We are going to miss him for many reasons and wish him well in this next chapter of his life.”

The Griffins are leaving next week for the Peach State on what they are calling their “last adventure.”

They lived there when he worked for the state of Georgia (including a two-and-a-half-year stint with former President Jimmy Carter), and both have family there.

“It was a natural reason to go back,” he said.

Griffin spent many years on town of Oakland committees, overseeing the planning, design and construction of such projects as the Tubb Street roundabout, the administration building and the community hall. He was chairman of the Code Enforcement Board for nearly 17 years, and served on the Charter Revision Committee. He also worked with the advisory group that reviews the annual budgets. This advisory group also conducted the interviews and made recommendations to the commission for the town manager and the police chief.

“All of the groups I’ve worked with in Oakland, I’ve never encountered any animosity with anyone; I’m talking staff and committee members,” Griffin said. “It’s been a great experience, and I’m leaving it with some trepidation. We’re going to miss the town, miss the people. It’ll be hard not to be part of that.”

Despite the move, however, Griffin will continue to give his input — via Facetime — as a member of Oakland’s wastewater advisory group. This committee has worked for three years to update the town’s wastewater system.

Griffin, who owned his own architectural and engineering firm for many years, said he got involved with the town’s decision-making boards because, he said, “I just saw things that I thought I could work on for the betterment of the town.”

He added: “When you look at what’s going on around you, and you know that you have some experiences that can be of benefit to the town and to the people of the town — I felt an obligation to share my experience.”

The people of the town of Oakland aren’t the only ones who will miss Griffin. The same can be said about the employees at the Winter Garden branch of BankFirst, which he and a group of founding members opened in 1990 on West Colonial Drive.

On Sept. 23, Griffin was called to the bank under the pretext that there was a problem with the irrigation system; when he walked in, there were 50 or 60 people in the bank lobby.

“The only irrigation came from my eyes,” Griffin said.

Three of the founding directors remain on the board, Griffin and Terry Hadley and Jim Barnes, both of whom attended the retirement celebration.

Congressman Dan Webster was in attendance, as well, and presented Griffin with a letter congratulating him on a long and profitable career.

The letter read, in part: “Countless people have been influenced by your life, and I am honored to recognize your many years of faithfulness to your family, church and community.

“Thank you for dedicating yourself to a life of service. You have inspired individuals through personal example [and] served as an influential elder at Oakland Presbyterian Church.…Your dedication in these areas is admirable, and it is my privilege to publicly commend you for your contributions and long years of selfless service to our community.”

Griffin admitted it was an overwhelming day.

“Dan [Webster] is just a great human being,” he said. “I’ve always been a fan and a supporter. I was doubly honored to receive something like this from him because I have so much respect for him.”

And then he received the key that evening.

“I’m stunned.…I just couldn’t believe it,” he said. “There are other people who, in the past, have done more than I have.”

He lauded Webster and the commission, but even higher praise is reserved for his wife.

“She so supportive,” Griffin said of Betty Anne. “She’s just a great lady, and she’s been right there with me the whole time.”

When the two embark on their venture next week, they are looking for a little down time.

A creek runs through the back of their Georgia property, “and there’s not a single blade of grass to cut; we live in the woods.”

The couple can expect lots of visits from their children, Sharen Winders, of Kelso; Terilynn Brewster and Scott Brewster, both of Mississippi; Wade Griffin, of Clermont; and Lesli Griffin, of Ocoee. They have 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, too.