The Community Plan

Pooler is a city on the rise, with new residents, visitors, and businesses flocking to our community. Even in the midst of a pandemic, our city continues to thrive with new developments popping up all around us. While this growth is undoubtedly exciting, it also presents some challenges.

From traffic congestion to greenspace to public safety, there are issues that need to be addressed in order to ensure that Pooler remains a great place to live, work, and play for all. But with the right plan in place, we can tackle these challenges head-on and build an even better future for our city.

So scroll down and discover my vision for addressing the challenges of growth and creating a brighter future for Pooler.

Pooler has just continued to explode with growth, seemingly despite of all the economic challenges the country has faced these last few years. How can we manage it wisely without stopping it?

Growth Management

I believe that as our city continues to grow, we need to have a proactive and forward-thinking approach to managing that growth. One way to do this is by updating our Comprehensive Plan every 5 years, as we are currently scheduled to do in 2025.

However, I propose that we also create a Smart Growth Economic Development Strategy, which will allow all members of our community to come together and actively plan for our future, addressing our growth in the most effective ways possible.

Pooler has just continued to explode with growth, seemingly despite of all the economic challenges the country has faced these last few years. How can we manage it wisely without stopping it?

Tired of sitting in traffic while it seems the city’s road infrastructure falls behind? It’s time to get creative and think outside the box. Traditional solutions typically attract more traffic in the long run. Let’s explore innovative solutions that address the root of the problem and keep our city moving without pouring money down a black hole of constant construction.

Traffic & Transportation

Aside from addressing our “problem” intersections, we must also explore alternative solutions that address the “build and fill” problem, such as implementing traffic management strategies and investing in public transportation options. Only by taking a holistic approach can we truly address our city’s transportation needs. We can start with these, while upgrading our roadways too:

Interconnecting dead-end neighborhoods so there are no single entrance/exit scenarios and require any new development have multiple egresses.
Promote non-car solutions: trams, bikes, e-scooters, etc. through building codes and road design.
Seek out opportunities for Public-Private Partnerships (P3) to fund or build alternative modalities of transit, such as rideshare, mass transit, and carpooling.

Our city is blessed with natural wetland areas, but even the “protected” wetlands are vulnerable to development and destruction. As a community, we must take action to ensure that these precious natural resources are preserved for future generations.

Environment

The EPA¹ and the GA EPD² have grants available to cities to help them purchase and preserve land, leaving it in an undeveloped state or in a semi-improved state (such as with trails), We should pursue those grants and even consider the low-cost GEFA³ loans to build our city’s greenspace and “land bank”.

Study after study has shown the benefits of greenspace, our community deserves to have more greenspace.

Finally, we need to follow the Best Practice recommendation from both the EPA¹ and the GA EPD² and update our ordinances and zoning requirements to reflect the changing environment in which we live.

Our city boasts some fantastic parks, but it’s time to elevate our game and create more gathering spaces where residents can come together for non-sport events. Let’s make it happen!

Community Space

Pooler is currently raising funds for a library, seeking grants to fully fund the gap left by increased building costs in a post-pandemic world. Our community needs a place to gather and grow together. Which is why I support building the library with additional indoor and outdoor space for the public to use for local events, concerts, plays, and more. I also support looking at building non-sport-centric gathering places in our parks to promote community events. The EPD² & DCA⁴ offer grant opportunities that will take an effort to achieve, but our community is worth the effort.

Our city boasts some fantastic parks, but it’s time to elevate our game and create more gathering spaces where residents can come together for non-sport events. Let’s make it happen!

Did you know that Pooler’s fire and police departments have some of the top training programs in the area? Maintaining this level of excellence requires dedication and resources. We need to expand these programs and offer access to the public as well.

Public Safety

I am fully committed to ensuring our fire and police departments have the resources and training they need to keep our community safe. That’s why I am advocating for the construction of a state-of-the-art “live fire training tower/building” for our fire department, as well as expanding their training programs. Not only will this benefit our brave first responders, but it will also ensure that our residents have the best possible protection in case of emergency.

But safety doesn’t stop there. I also believe that it’s important to empower our citizens with the knowledge and skills they need to help keep themselves and their loved ones safe. That’s why I am also pushing for the creation of low-cost, publicly accessible training programs, such as Red Cross CPR certification, Stop the Bleed, and verbal conflict resolution. With programs like these available to everyone, we can build a stronger, safer, and more resilient community for all.

I believe that when it comes to governing, it’s important for our leaders to truly understand and relate to the everyday challenges and concerns of the people they represent. That’s why I’m committed to making sure all voices in our community are heard and taken into account as we work together to build a better, stronger city for all of us.

Government

I have long been an advocate of altering our city government to follow the Best Practices that other state (GMA)⁵ and national organizations such as the NLC⁶ & NCL⁷ advise, including:

Districts (or wards)
Staggard terms
Community advisory boards
Modern charter language

I am committed to empowering our community to have a say in shaping the future of our city. That’s why I propose creating dynamic community committees to dive deep into the issues that matter most to our residents and make bold recommendations to council. Together, we can make Pooler an even better place to live, work and play.

Community Plan Glossary of Terms

Governments love their initialisms and acronyms, here’s a list of what all those acronyms mean:

¹ Environmental Protection Agency – a federal agency tasked with environmental protection and oversight; they also have grant opportunities for environment preservation.

² Georgia Environmental Protection Division – the state equivalent of the EPA. They offer grant opportunities for outdoor and environmental programs & preservation.

³ Georgia Environmental Finance Authority – they provide low-interest loans to municipalities for certain projects including infrastructure & land purchases.

⁴ Department of Community Affairs – a state-level department that oversees all the programs that affect communities, such as housing, parks & recreation, public spaces, and much, much more.

⁵ Georgia Municipal Association – a non-governmental organization that our city belongs to. They provide municipal training, advocacy, legal recommendations, and more.

⁶ National League of Cities – Like the GMA, the NLC offers resources to all cities in all states. They advocate on a national level. Pooler is a member of the NLC.

⁷ National Civic League – similar to the NLC, but the NCL is more focused on development of policies, ordinances, and charter changes than the NLC. Currently Pooler is not a member, but many of their resources are available without a membership.

The Community Plan doesn’t stop with this website! You can help make the plan better by volunteering or donating your time or money to help the campaign. Or come to an event to learn more about these ideas and what you can do to help make them happen.

A Plan for Everyone

Build on our Success

The Plan