“This is your forum.” Those were the words of Palmetto Mayor John Miller Jan. 24 as more than two dozen residents met for a Saturday morning town hall meeting at Mt. Pleasant AME Church. The meeting was the second of two held Saturday.

Council members Greg Rusch, Laura Mullis, Lorraine Allen and Mike Basaric at the beginning of the meeting spoke of the need for government to be transparent and the desire to hear the concerns of residents. Also attending the meeting to respond to questions were Police Chief Luther Graham, Fire Chief Henry Argo and City Administrator Terry Todd. Argo and Graham provided an overview of their respective departments.

“This is your forum,” Miller said as the informal Question, Answer & Comment session began. “We really have a vibrant city and we’re glad to see you turn out today.”

Checking to see how city-related communication flows in the community, Miller asked how residents learned about the two Saturday meetings. The responses were split between the city website, posted signs, church bulletins and flyers.

Some of the questions and concerns centered on transportation issues. One resident wanted to know what could be done about reducing the speed limits in neighborhoods and on larger roadways. Miller responded, referencing the city’s recently-completed Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) process, in which consultant planners received input from residents on their traffic-flow preferences and goals. Pertaining to speed limits in areas such as Roosevelt Highway, Graham added that the city cannot set speed limits.

Another resident commented that she had voted for the past four years for candidates who said there would be venues for children. Responding to the comment, Miller said the city has used Palmetto Elementary School on several occasions as well as facilities in other locations in the city, adding that the city is now in possession of assets that will help Palmetto move forward with future initiatives. Councilwoman Lorraine Allen also noted that the city has an active Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts program for youth.

Several residents expressed concerns about teenage and adult males riding trail bikes through neighborhood yards, especially on Fair Street. Graham and Councilwoman Laura Mullis requested that residents call police as quickly as possible when those actions occur. And addressing the concern by some that those turning people in might be targeted, Graham said their call to police should include the request that officers do not come to the residence making the report.

A question arose pertaining to removing problem trees on private property. Miller said there is no city requirement to replace those trees. He said Palmetto has no current tree protection ordinance, though such an ordinance would be appropriate for developers since, in the absence of an ordinance, a developer could set out the plans for a subdivision and cut down every tree on the property. That reality is the basis for the council’s need to develop a tree protection ordinance that would require a replacement for trees removed at development sites, Miller said.

Still another question concerned long-time issues with CSX Railroad and the apparent lack of structural integrity of the CSX overpasses inside city limits. Miller explained that gaining approval from the railroad to repair overpasses is problematic for any community, though that difficulty would not stop Palmetto from making the ongoing attempt. Miller said the LCI process could also address the overpass situation.

Toward the end of the meeting another resident offered an observation that since moving to Palmetto in 1992 she had seen more progress from Miller and the current city council, including with city departments, than she had previously experienced.

Speaking after the meeting, Miller said he thought the morning went very well, adding that the intention of the city council is to provide venues to residents that display local government’s transparency, advocacy and access to citizens.

“It keeps elected officials and city staff in touch with the community,” Miller said.

Palmetto had several community meetings last year. And from the ideas that surfaced at those meetings came the demolition of the old school, a self-defense training course and city email as a means of distributing pertinent city information. Miller said current plans include holding a total of six town hall meetings during 2009.

login to post comments