Resident urges Grottoes to publish bylaws, wastewater and planning documents

Glimmer Sullivan told the Grottoes Town Council on June 8 that the town’s stated goals of transparency and accessibility are undercut by limited public access to key documents.

"The planning commission bylaws, wastewater treatment plan, long reach plan, 2024 Mangram Engineering Wastewater Study, and the water supply repair plan are still not readily available on the website," Sullivan said during the public comment period, adding that the lack of written, posted procedures forces residents to "jump through hoops" to obtain information.

Sullivan asked the council to post bylaws and procedural links online, and to adopt an application process with deadlines for planning commission or Board of Zoning Appeals vacancies so "the opportunity to serve is accessible to all residents." She said opaque hiring processes create the impression of insider decision-making and erode trust.

Mayor Cassidy responded by asking Sullivan to clarify her "end game" and referenced prior litigation and an appellate period. "And thank you for wasting our tax payer citizens of a total of $4,285 to date," the mayor said, referencing costs the town associated with the litigation on the record.

Sullivan replied that she viewed the town’s actions as obfuscation and bullying and declined to respond further to the mayor’s characterization. The exchange concluded without the council committing to post the requested documents or to set specific deadlines for vacancy applications.

The comment closed without formal council action. Council members did not announce any immediate steps at the meeting to publish the documents Sullivan requested; the transcript shows the council moved on to committee reports after the exchange.