At a time when there is such a broad disconnect between citizens and their government, something very special is happening here in Beaufort. I believe there is more trust and collaboration between the City of Beaufort and our residents than we have seen in many years. Despite the financial meltdown, life goes on because we are all working together to keep our hometown one of the most special places in the world. Let me share some of what I see.
Early Saturday morning before the Water Festival parade, I observed “the daily meeting” among City officials. Attending were our City’s Events Coordinator, Finance Director and Police Liaison, along with Water Festival organizers (Program Coordinator Bob Bible –next year’s Commodore– and his team) and representatives from City partners (The Greenery and Lanier Parking). As they reviewed issues from the previous day and tied up loose ends in the “plan for the day,” I saw government folks working seamlessly with volunteers for the community good. Alongside the adults was a high school student who spent the week working to achieve her “community service” credits for a school project. Accordingly, it was no surprise that all of the streets around the parade route were clean and ready for parade viewers. I also knew that what appeared to be the last “float” in the parade was actually two men blowing debris in front of a privately operated street sweeper followed by a golf cart with trash containers collecting used cups, soft drink cans, candy wrappers and other trash from citizens as they were leaving the parade route. “WOW” I thought, which led me to reflect on other demonstrable moments throughout the week.
I pondered news stories of the week that highlighted long time Water Festival volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the past 55 years; I thought about how fortunate we are to have the committed and diligent volunteers of the Fripp Island Water Rescue Squad (and others with whom they work) who help those in need: I reflected on my meeting with Lantz Price who volunteered employees from Plums and Saltus to kick-start commercial recycling downtown.
What could make a Mayor happier than seeing people coming together to make their hometown an even better place?
Last week I read the story of a small town in California that closed its doors because officials had mismanaged public funds, paid their staff exorbitant salaries, were financially ruined and had lost the public trust. Private contractors, to whom government was outsourced, were in charge.
While I do not proscribe outsourcing all functions of city government, outsourcing decisions we have made over the past year are paying off and more than just financially. Firstly, our Public Works Department can now focus on public works issues like maintaining the storm water system which they never got to because they were so focused on collecting garbage and maintaining parks. Secondly, the City and our new partners have enlisted a willing public to help make improvements we perhaps never thought of and could otherwise not afford. Let me mention a few.
Volunteers, through neighborhood associations, with the help from City Police and Fire Departments, have — in less than a year – helped collect more than 310 tons of junk. This was refuse that was difficult to dispose of and included bulky items such as beds, bicycles, tires and batteries, paint, wood and furniture that was in the way, unsightly and presented a fire hazard to homeowners.
Volunteers, again though neighborhood associations, worked several Saturdays with professionals from The Greenery to clean up and beautify selected spots within neighborhoods.
Garden Club volunteers, inspired by an employee from “Buds and Blooms,” enlisted City staff (Public Works and Parks Department) and from The Greenery to host an early Saturday morning seminar on best practices for lawn maintenance and explanations of the new flowers in the Park and how to cultivate and maintain garden flowers.
Collaboration between government and the citizens is one of my personal goals and it is working. Now is not the time to stop and rest on our laurels! Rather it is a time to take these models further as we have more work to do.
Because they do not have neighborhood associations to be the eyes, ears and helpers, some areas of the City are not getting the attention they deserve and need. Last week I heard from a Mossy Oaks resident who referred to her neighborhood as the “outer edge of Beaufort.” Her rationale, which I understand, was that her street needed attention and the City was not paying attention. A visit to the area proved her right and a Public Works crew responded by the end of the next day. Had she not called, the issue still might not have been addressed and she might have continued to believe she lived in an “outer neighborhood” rather than in Beaufort’s largest neighborhood.
I suggested that the resident attend the monthly meeting between City staff and neighborhood leaders. She did and reported her surprise to see the healthy give and take and solutions coming from people like her and not just from city employees. Hopefully, she will come back next month and bring neighbors who will make this message resonate through Mossy Oaks so that others will begin to work with us.
Please understand that “working with us” does not just mean filing complaints; rather it means recommending workable solutions and lending a hand when the challenge of neighborhood clean-up begins.
I do not mean to suggest that all problems can be addressed immediately or completely. Some are financially costly and complicated and will take time. But without the dialogue and solution hunting sessions, it is likely less will be done.
Aside from keeping neighborhoods clean, I believe there are other challenges where partnerships between the City and its residents are necessary. Building Southside Park, working more closely with our police officers and firefighters on toward even better security and more fire prevention, helping each other adapt to a new parking system, developing a form-based code that reflects the culture and physical forms of our community and continuing to press for an Auxiliary Land Field for the Joint Strike Fighter are but a few of the challenges that lie ahead.
Let’s continue to talk about them. Let’s use the examples set by others and continue to collaborate to move our community forward. This is the best way to ensure Beaufort will remain the best hometown in the world.
Billy Keyserling billyk@islc.net