Waxhaw Happenings Waxhaw Happenings September 2017 | Page 2

WA X H AW ’ S V I S ION Waxhaw is a friendly, vibrant, prosperous town where history and creativity build an enduring, safe and healthy community for people of all ages to live, learn, work, play or grow a business. TOWN MANAGER’S MESSAGE On August 14th, we held a Board & staff retreat. Two questions prevailed, “What does Waxhaw need most, and how do we get those improvements?” We know from the results of the community-wide survey, that residents rank traffic and infrastructure improvements and parks at the top of the list. Navigating the funding for these types of projects is a multilayered process. At the retreat, we discussed a five-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP), which is currently being drafted and will be a helpful guide to identify and prioritize capital projects that could be costly, complex, and take multiple years to complete. It will also provide real cost estimates in order to identify funding sources. Staff is working with the Board to develop funding options for the CIP. The Board will then prioritize the proposed projects and decide the best approach to pay for each project from the information provided. The CIP is a game-changer and moves us forward in the most accountable way. And, as the Town project list grows, so does the need to staff them. Some of the projects we encounter need extra manpower to accomplish. At first glance it may be puzzling why we would hire consultants instead of handling projects internally, but by engaging with consultants, we have access to groups of professionals who can offer a range of skills, and in some cases, less than what it would cost to hire a staff person. In response to the growing operational demands, we made some internal organizational changes recently and we are hiring some new positions. On the cover of this issue, you will see the open positions available. The full description for these positions is available on our website under the Human Resources department. This edition of Waxhaw Happenings also highlights the Town Clerk’s office. Often considered a gateway between local government and the community, the Town Clerk’s office keeps the Town accountable by maintaining minutes, agendas and managing public records requests. Learn more about them on page 6/7. We’ve covered quite a bit over the last 30 days and no doubt as we move through this next quarter, there will be more on the agenda. I encourage all residents to join us at town meetings for information and real-time updates on Town happenings. Greg Ferguson Greg Ferguson Town Manager [email protected]