A Moment with the Manager – What Does Community Mean?

By: Natalie M. Zeigler
City Manager

Community is something we build together. It involves a coordinated effort between residents and those that serve. I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a part of a community and the responsibility each of us has to ensure Hartsville is a safe place for all to live. There are things we all can do to strengthen and reinforce a sense of community in our city.

I think the most important thing one can do to be a productive citizen is stay informed. Hartsville has a lot going on for a small city. With so many projects, initiatives and developments in the works, it’s very helpful to make an effort to be knowledgeable. Follow City of Hartsville on Facebook and Twitter. Check the official Hartsville website regularly, www.hartsvillesc.gov, and under the City contact page you can sign up for a biweekly email of upcoming events. Download the City of Hartsville application on your smart phone to receive information about upcoming events in our area and updates about road closures due to construction. In a few weeks, the City will also launch a free sanitation services application for mobile devices. This app will provide reminders when it’s time to get your roll carts to the curb. All City apps will be available through Google Play and the App Store.

Also, I encourage every citizen to attend City Council meetings whenever possible. City Council meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, found on the first floor of City Hall. Notification of special meetings is provided at least 24 hours in advance, and agendas are posted in the alcove outside of Council Chambers.

I urge residents to be an advocate for safety. This means helping the City of Hartsville identify safety concerns. If you see broken city infrastructure contact the appropriate branch of our local government. Call attention to things that aren’t working properly in your area so that we might prevent future problems.

Citizens must also work with local authorities in order to benefit everyone. The Hartsville Police Department, under the leadership of Chief Jerry Thompson, are committed to community-oriented policing and pursuing strategies that support trust between residents and those sworn to protect. HPD seeks to solve problems and address proactively factors that may lead to public safety issues. However, community engagement requires effort from all civilians. It requires working with our officers. If you witness a crime, notify law enforcement. Make sure you are not promoting misconceptions about populations within our community or spreading misinformation about our officers that could undermine opportunities for positive relationships between police and civilians.

Another crucial part of facilitating a sense of community in Hartsville is volunteering. This past weekend officers, pastors, and other residents, got together to make some exterior repairs on the home of a family in need. This community work-day was coordinated by the EMPOWER Initiative—Employing Ministry and Police to Overcome Walls and End Racism—a partnership between the City of Hartsville, the local Ministerial Alliance, and the Community Outreach Division of the Hartsville Police Department. There are regular opportunities to volunteer in Hartsville in other ways. On the City’s website we have compiled a list of charitable organizations seeking volunteers. Again, stay informed. By being more aware of what is going on in Hartsville you can discover more ways to make helpful contributions. If you would like to volunteer for the next EMPOWER community work-day, contact the Assistant to the City Manager, Mary Catherine Farrell at 843.383.3015 or mary.farrell@hartsvillesc.gov.

We all can make small but necessary changes to improve our city. Building a better and more inclusive Hartsville involves asking more from each other, and asking more from ourselves. Community takes sincere effort, empathy and hard work.