Friends of Bluffton Dog Parks

et writes "

The Month of March was a work in progress month. The Fund Raising committee chaired by Margie Sollish finished the Memorial Paver Project, thanks to the efforts of Jennifer Megliore. Jennifer presented the finished process and flyers for distribution at the Board meeting 3/12. Approval to proceed was granted and each board member received a Kit of promotional information – Great work Jennifer.

Also at the board meeting the feedbacks for Memorandum of Agreement – MOA for the use of the Dog Park space with the Town of Bluffton was reviewed and approved by those attending.

Charlotte has added the resolution to the Board that the ‘three strikes your out’ rule be added in that if a board a member misses more than three consecutive meetings without a show of cause they will be relegated to committee member status and a new board member appointed.

March 13, a meeting with Charlotte Wamser – Pres, Tim Bennett – Asstn. Town Mgr, and ET was conducted to review the feedbacks to the proposed MOA. Mr. Bennett has been very helpful to us in the processes we must go through. He has reminded us that the FOBDP will have to shoulder the construction and maintenance of the park as the funding is not there in the Town’s budget for the park. The feedbacks are being circulated to all affected Town departments for review and input. Another meeting will be scheduled after all the input is culled together in a consolidated revised MOA agreement.

Charlotte met with the FARM HOA quarterly meeting to present the current status for the Dog Park and answer questions on 2/10.

ET met with the Town of HHI Parks and Recreation Committee on 2/12 to review the FOBDP plans and designs. He also presented a quality report for the Chaplin Dog Park with recommendations for improved signage and infrastructure improvements, they seemed to appreciate that the FOBDP appreciates and is interested in the wellbeing of their park.

The Town of Bluffton was contacted 3/27 by Keowee Key a private residential community of about 1,400 homes and 2,500 inhabitants in the foothills of Western SC, Oconee County for information about the planned FOBDP. ET held a call with them and has offered to provide an information transfer meeting with them. He will stop over on 4/27-28 at Devils Fork State Park on his way to Louisville KY -Derby Festivities and tour the proposed site and review the FOBDP design and status with the interested POA board members.

ET also has an invite from the Louisville Dog Parks Association to vist their dog parks and meet with them to exchange ideas - www.louisvilledogs.com

Planning for April will be to begin the TGIF days in Bluffton and a FOBDP table at the event, Publicizing the Memorial Paver program. ET and Chris Record the town planner are to begin the pre-PUD meetings for the park after the Town has round robin’d all the design ideas.

Errol 'ET' Morrison, Project Manager FOBDP
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