This is pushed by Dan Tripp to ram it through. We need to wait until our elected representatives who will oversee this plan are in office. If it is a good plan now it will be a good plan in January. The outside 5 better watch out or they will be bystanders for the next 4 years.
When will county council start listening to their constituents. We need more council members like you that care more about their constituents and taking care of our county than taking care of developers and big businesses.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support! Listening to and representing our community is at the heart of what I do.
I’m hopeful that next year’s council will embrace this same approach, and all signs point to that being the case. We have big challenges ahead as we work to balance growth with protecting the character of our county. I’ll continue to advocate for transparency and make sure council decisions reflect the needs of all residents!
Thank you for speaking up as well! It truly makes a difference. Accountability is key!:)
Thank you for your insight, which is refreshing! I am concerned about many facets of the UDO, but the fact that the UDO will hand control over development decisions to unelected officials, is most concerning. Thank you for not settling for good enough.
The best chance is convincing some of my colleagues to pump the brakes and allow for more time. The more citizens that reach out to their respective council persons, the more likely they will take that opinion to heart when voting!
I agree with John Yarbro that the ultimate responsibility for good government lies with the citizens. Having said that, I feel strongly that the current UDO is extremely flawed. I do not like the movement to town houses instead of individual residences with a decent lot size. Why are we moving in this direction? Follow the money. This is a way for developers to make money at the expense of ordinary citizens. So, back to John's comment, why do we allow this to happen? I am certain there are multiple reasons for individuals to not consider the ramifications of political actions but ultimately, we as voters, must bear the responsibility for our lack of critical thinking.
Thank you for the question. Finding alignment in situations where public sentiment and expert recommendations diverge is always a challenge. My approach begins with listening. I aim to understand both the community’s values and the insights offered by subject matter experts. Often, bridging that gap involves finding common ground—what shared goals or priorities emerge when we really dig into both perspectives?
GREAT POINT! It’s just like King Solomon’s wisdom: rather than simply taking sides, he looked for solutions that would resonate on both practical and moral levels. Sometimes, that means seeking compromise, and other times, it involves using creativity to ensure decisions honor the community’s core values while still benefiting from expert insight. This balance is essential for decisions that truly serve our constituents.
Voters are unable (not smart enough) to elect competent politicians; today’s elections are popularity contests. What you call “bureaucrats” (a term used to frighten narrow/shallow-minded people) are actually experts in their field. We need experts not celebrities.
I don’t think it’s that simple. Elected officials and bureaucrats play different, complementary roles. Elected officials represent the people and make policy decisions based on community needs. They’re accountable to voters, who can replace them if they don’t perform well.
Bureaucrats are career experts in specific fields who manage daily government functions and implement policies. Their expertise helps make government operations efficient, but without oversight from elected leaders, they could lose touch with public priorities.
While popularity can influence elections, it often reflects trust and communication skills. The ideal balance is when elected officials make informed decisions by consulting bureaucratic experts, aligning government action with both expertise and public values.
This is pushed by Dan Tripp to ram it through. We need to wait until our elected representatives who will oversee this plan are in office. If it is a good plan now it will be a good plan in January. The outside 5 better watch out or they will be bystanders for the next 4 years.
When will county council start listening to their constituents. We need more council members like you that care more about their constituents and taking care of our county than taking care of developers and big businesses.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support! Listening to and representing our community is at the heart of what I do.
I’m hopeful that next year’s council will embrace this same approach, and all signs point to that being the case. We have big challenges ahead as we work to balance growth with protecting the character of our county. I’ll continue to advocate for transparency and make sure council decisions reflect the needs of all residents!
Thank you for speaking up as well! It truly makes a difference. Accountability is key!:)
Thank you for your insight, which is refreshing! I am concerned about many facets of the UDO, but the fact that the UDO will hand control over development decisions to unelected officials, is most concerning. Thank you for not settling for good enough.
What can our neighborhood do to help delay the adoption of this plan until the proper revisions are in place?
The best chance is convincing some of my colleagues to pump the brakes and allow for more time. The more citizens that reach out to their respective council persons, the more likely they will take that opinion to heart when voting!
I agree with John Yarbro that the ultimate responsibility for good government lies with the citizens. Having said that, I feel strongly that the current UDO is extremely flawed. I do not like the movement to town houses instead of individual residences with a decent lot size. Why are we moving in this direction? Follow the money. This is a way for developers to make money at the expense of ordinary citizens. So, back to John's comment, why do we allow this to happen? I am certain there are multiple reasons for individuals to not consider the ramifications of political actions but ultimately, we as voters, must bear the responsibility for our lack of critical thinking.
Councilman Blount, how do you align "government actions" where public values conflict with expert opinion? King Solomon comes to mind.
Thank you for the question. Finding alignment in situations where public sentiment and expert recommendations diverge is always a challenge. My approach begins with listening. I aim to understand both the community’s values and the insights offered by subject matter experts. Often, bridging that gap involves finding common ground—what shared goals or priorities emerge when we really dig into both perspectives?
GREAT POINT! It’s just like King Solomon’s wisdom: rather than simply taking sides, he looked for solutions that would resonate on both practical and moral levels. Sometimes, that means seeking compromise, and other times, it involves using creativity to ensure decisions honor the community’s core values while still benefiting from expert insight. This balance is essential for decisions that truly serve our constituents.
Voters are unable (not smart enough) to elect competent politicians; today’s elections are popularity contests. What you call “bureaucrats” (a term used to frighten narrow/shallow-minded people) are actually experts in their field. We need experts not celebrities.
I don’t think it’s that simple. Elected officials and bureaucrats play different, complementary roles. Elected officials represent the people and make policy decisions based on community needs. They’re accountable to voters, who can replace them if they don’t perform well.
Bureaucrats are career experts in specific fields who manage daily government functions and implement policies. Their expertise helps make government operations efficient, but without oversight from elected leaders, they could lose touch with public priorities.
While popularity can influence elections, it often reflects trust and communication skills. The ideal balance is when elected officials make informed decisions by consulting bureaucratic experts, aligning government action with both expertise and public values.
Well said!!!!
When you refer to staff as the authors of the UDO, who are they? Is it a committee of experts in all areas of development in Greenville County?