Natalie ZeiglerBy: Natalie M. Zeigler
City Manager

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the many things to be thankful for- a home, a family, a job, and many other things. Among these usual things to be thankful for, I challenge all of us to be thankful for the aspects of our community that make it unique.

Looking at recent political events around the nation, our community is fortunate to have community leaders that strive to build bridges in cooperation with our community policing unit. Most recently, the Ministerial Alliance in cooperation with members of the Hartsville Police Department had a work day of boarding up an abandoned house in the Historic Butler District to improve security in the areas as well as clearing overgrown area of the lot. This group known as EMPOWER (Employing Ministry and Police to Overcome Walls and End Racism) is planning additional clean-up days. For more information or to volunteer, contact Mary Catherine Farrell at mary.farrell@hartsvillesc.gov or 843.383.3015.

Our community is noted for being a “small town with a big heart”. This was most recently seen in light of the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. With many without power, neighbors cared for each other by opening their homes for showers and meals. Our community also brought meals to City staff working overtime to ensure that our community was safe.

One of our city’s greatest strengths is the cooperation that can be seen with all projects for the betterment of the community. We possess a unique group of public leaders, private individuals, non-profits, and businesses that work together to improve the community. This has allowed our small town to overcome stereotypes and become a progressively viewed and thriving city.

One of our greatest achievements this past year was being named an All-America City for the second time. It was evident that our city strives to turn its negatives into positives. Our community acknowledges that there are still problems that must be faced, but it is the cooperation of citizens and stakeholders that allows us to see the end result – a community that engages all residents to harness unique strengths in developing innovative and sustainable solutions to tough problems.

I am so thankful to live and work for a community that transcends all normalcies of a southern small town. Our community thrives because of the heart of the people that work tirelessly to live, work, and play in a City that future generations can be proud of. I challenge all to share their own reasons for loving the City of Hartsville on Facebook and tag the City of Hartsville’s Facebook page.

Natalie Zeigler is the City Manager of Hartsville. For more information, call City Hall at 843-383-3015 or email info2@hartsvillesc.gov.