Rural Transportation Planning Group Creates New Community Liaison Positions; Winnabow Fire Chief Travis Mercer
Winnabow Fire Chief Travis Mercer appointed to represent Winnabow-Town Creek area
WINNABOW, N.C. – At the suggestion of Brunswick County Commissioner Frank Williams, the Cape Fear Rural Planning Organization’s Transportation Organization’s Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) recently created new Community Liaison positions to provide increased opportunities for community engagement. The RTAC unanimously voted to create the positions at its April 10, 2026 meeting.
“During the transportation planning process, the RPO regularly meets with municipal leaders in our planning jurisdiction,” said Williams, who serves as RTAC Chair. “During these meetings, it became apparent that we needed a better way to gain input from community leaders in unincorporated rural areas. Creating these new community liaison positions is a proactive step to increase community engagement and input from areas that do not have representation on the Rural Transportation Advisory Committee.”
On April 10, RTAC members also unanimously appointed the first Community Liaison. Brunswick County Commissioner Mike Forte nominated Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department Chief Travis Mercer to represent the Winnabow/Town Creek area.
“Chief Mercer is well-suited to provide thoughtful input on the transportation needs in Winnabow and Town Creek, particularly from a public safety perspective,” said Williams. “I’m grateful that he is willing to serve in this capacity.”
“I’m looking to serve as a Rural Transportation Advisory Committee Community Liaison to help improve transportation and infrastructure in our rural communities,” said Mercer. “I believe strong transportation planning is important for public safety, economic growth, and the overall quality of life for citizens.”
Background
In recent years, the Cape Fear Rural Planning Organization (RPO) has held local input workshops in each of the counties represented by the RPO. Those meetings have typically included representatives from county government as well as the municipalities in the RPO area. However, there are several large, unincorporated communities in the RPO area that do not have the same mechanism to provide input. Additionally, the voting structure of the RPO’s Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC), the RPO’s governing body, is such that each RPO municipality does not occupy a voting or alternate seat. Not having a designated RPO representative can leave a community at greater risk of being unaware of RPO planning efforts.
The newly created Community Liaison position provides a mechanism for representatives from key unincorporated areas as well as municipalities without RTAC members to represent their areas and provide insight into transportation needs and projects in their communities.
About the Cape Fear RPO
The Cape Fear RPO covers rural portions of Brunswick and Pender Counties and all of Columbus County and serves as the intergovernmental organization for local elected officials, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and residents of the region to work cooperatively to address rural transportation issues. The Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) is the RPO’s advisory board and is comprised of elected officials from Brunswick, Columbus and Pender Counties. More urbanized portions of Brunswick County are served by the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) and the Grand Strand Area Transportation Study (GSATS).