Asyour mayor, I want you to see what Bluffton does and how we do it. The need for transparency in government is vital to maintain trust with our citizens and is paramount to each member on council and our staf.
I fully understand it is often difficult to be active in the town’s business when life is so busy, but I believe the changes to the town’s website will make it easier for you to be a part of the process.
We have added a lot to www.townofbluffton.com. For starters, all town meetings, agendas and events are listed. If you choose, you can also download and/or print all the materials that each council member receives, so you can have the same background materials that each council member has.Some folks are really enjoying this new addition because they can stay abreast on all the town’s debates and decisions without attending the Town Council meetings. In addition, after each council meeting, announcements and news items are posted as soon as possible.
The town’s staf members are very vigilant about keeping the website as user-friendly and detailed as they can.
One section I want to bring to your attention is the “Grants in Action,” section. This is new and a wonderful way for Bluffton folks to track the progress of the town’s grants.
I am proud to say the Town of Bluffton has more than $4.4 million dollars ($1.125 million in stimulus funds) worth of grant revenues to help improve the quality of life in our community. I want you to know how that money is being spent. Updates to each of these projects are made 10 days after the end of each quarter. The grants featured include:
- The Federal Clean Water Act Grant (reduce fecal coliform levels in the May River)
- Buck Island-Simmonsville Sewer Phase I (eliminate septic tanks by providing infrastructure for sewer lines)
- Neighborhood Stabilization Program (stabilizing communities sufering from foreclosed and abandoned properties)
- COPS Hiring Recovery Program (funds to hire two ofcers and two T3 mobility vehicles)
- The New River Trail (provides access and parking for the New River Linear Trail)
The “Grants in Action” section provides before and after pictures, milestones, timelines and reports about each project. Dig a little deeper into each project and there are special links for each. For instance, if you go to the Federal Clean Water Act Grant, you can link to educational sites and learn more about what you can do to be a protector of the town and the May River, such as installing a rain garden and rain barrels.
Be a part of our progress or at least know what is going on in your town and in your neighborhood. I hope the new additions to the web site help you do that.
Please call Shirley Freeman at 706-4500 if you have any suggestions, comments or additions.
