CAMPAIGN REFLECTIONS
During this campaign, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many delightful people door-to-door, online through ThinkMauldin.com, and over the phone. From being offered to sit on a front porch rocker and partake in a cold beverage, to crawling around a catch basin and listening to a Mauldin city resident speak fervently about rainwater runoff, this campaign has certainly been enlightening.
I have listened to concerns over traffic (particularly the intersection of Murray Drive and Miller Road), multi-family projects, small business challenges, the Senior Center, the proposed City Center, and much, much more. I spoke to a man who earnestly expressed that the city has come a long way in five years to curb gang activity, only to have a former police officer tell me there is still a lot more work to be done. It was heartening to hear from so many of you who share a passion for recreation, public greenspace, parkways, and the future connection to the Swamp Rabbit Trail. There were many who spoke of Mauldin as a family-friendly community with a low cost of living, and they were thankful they no longer had to brave Woodruff Road to shop or eat out. We’re now able to do more locally than ever before. Something I disliked hearing was how some residents have been treated by the city. There was a gentleman who described how his mailbox was taken out four times by cars, including one car that flipped into his neighbor’s yard. The city’s answer was a traffic counter that revealed there wasn’t a need for further action. He and I both thought a simple “turn ahead” sign would have sufficed. There were more accounts like this, but my sincere hope is this isn’t the norm. One of the things I’ve said during my campaign is that if I must tell a Mauldin resident, “no,” than I should be able to explain why. And if I can’t, as a representative, I need to find the answer. Of course, no one can please everyone. But as your representative for Seat 5, I want to get to the why behind the why. The Why Behind the Why Let’s talk about stormwater management for a moment. This is a public health issue and something that should be examined more closely by our city, county, and state. With new streets, building and parking lots, rain washes over these hard surfaces, and without proper planning, it can cause harm to properties and wildlife habitat. We must also realize the heavy clay soils in South Carolina promote runoff. With excessive tree removal and the planting of invasive plants, the problems of flooding, pollutants and clogged storm drains have escalated. The city will be receiving a $1.1 million federal grant to be used for flooding. This is a tremendous first step, and one where we should allocate the funds to the greatest need. Soak it up. Spread it out. Slow it down. These are the strategies for stormwater management. There are steps for sediment and erosion control the city should undertake. We must realize the importance of addressing existing needs now as our infrastructure ages. Likewise, there are opportunities to educate citizens on how they can take control of wet yards. One average sized willow oak tree, just as an example, can soak up to 2,000 gallons of stormwater each year. However, I also realize it is important to have all stakeholders discuss regional stormwater standards and green infrastructure. In many cases, stormwater management falls under Greenville County. Also, in any given area there can be public, commercial, and residential buildings, and city, county, and state roads. The impact of runoff inevitably goes “downstream.” We are long overdue for an Upstate Stormwater Summit that promotes education and regulatory advocacy. Comprehensive Planning A new comprehensive plan for Mauldin is just around the corner. These plans are comprised of policies to address the city’s growth and development. This brings me to what I told the Post and Courier. One of our biggest challenges is telling Mauldin’s story. Not Greenville’s story. Not Simpsonville’s story. But Mauldin’s sense of place. Long-range planning is a top priority. The City Center is important, but let’s make sure each corner of the City of Mauldin gets attention. Does this mean we halt growth? Absolutely not. But it does mean growing in a smart, sustainable way. As the saying goes: “Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action changes the world.” This really gets into why I’m running. My platform has been on economic vitality, sense of place, city infrastructure, parks and recreation, and stormwater management. We need a new level of strategic planning for the next chapter in Mauldin’s story. Your Vote Matters First I just want to say thank you to everyone who will vote on Tuesday. There are approximately 18,000 registered voters in Mauldin, whereby maybe 10% will vote on Nov. 2nd. If I didn’t get a chance to meet with you in-person, over the phone or via ThinkMauldin.com, please understand there was a lot of ground to cover! I do, however, deeply appreciate your support. Remember, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd. I hope you will join me to #ThinkMauldin. Second, much appreciation goes to my friends and family who volunteered, supported, and prayed for me during this campaign. Jeneane, Thomas and Penelope, I love you all very much. Thank you so much for being on this new journey with your husband and father. I am very blessed. Warmly, Frank Allgood Candidate for Mauldin City Council Seat 5 Articles:
The Greenville News The Greenville Journal The Post and Courier Simpsonville Sentinel Vote411.org 
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