Gregg
The Trafalgar Town Council named Bryan Gregg as the town’s new building commissioner, a role that will navigate the town’s growth while preserving its history.
Gregg, who has been a resident of Trafalgar for three years, says that the town has a lot of opportunities for advancement, but change in the community must be monitored.
“Growth is not coming, growth is here,” Gregg said. “The two words I always think about are progress and preservation. I want to make sure that as we progress, we preserve what Trafalgar is.”
The building commissioner will handle duties previously conducted by the wastewater and utility superintendent; obligations that were not within that employee’s job description, said Jason Ramey, town council president.
The position’s main responsibilities include overseeing new development and construction, ensuring contractor compliance, responding to complaint forms and resolving code violations for existing properties and issuing citations to those who are not willing to comply.
Ramey said that Gregg made himself known as the right man for the job by showcasing his desire to make a difference in the community.
“He’s been involved in our planning and zoning and BZA board for a couple of years now,” Ramey said. “He’s very knowledgeable in not only our ordinances, but also the codes and processes. To be honest, he has more knowledge of it than anyone sitting on the council currently that I am aware of. He was willing to do it because he wants to see the town succeed. He has hit the ground running and has been doing a great job of trying to form relationships with contractors and the public.”
Gregg has a background in politics and government compliance and has worked in construction for 20 years. He said that he wants to focus on advocating for the community’s needs and understands the citizen’s compassion for the town’s history.
He stands firm on his ideology that any growth must benefit the community without tarnishing its legacy.
“Trafalgar has a legacy and we have everything we need to maintain that,” Gregg said. “The majority of the growth that is happening in Trafalgar is on the outside of town. There is opportunity in the heart of Trafalgar, but the majority of the area for growth are in open lots where we don’t have to affect current structures. We can make progress without demolishing.”
Gregg and Ramey both mentioned that the community has expressed a desire for bringing a grocery store to town. Ideally, the business would be something smaller than a superstore, but more sustainable than a mom-and-pop shop, Ramey said.
Moving forward, Gregg will help recruit the appropriate businesses that meld well into the area. He would then guide these businesses through the development process, dictate certain aesthetics such as sidewalks and shrubbery and ensure that that they are following all ordinances and regulations previously laid forth by the town.
A trending topic in the town has regarded mixed-use zoning, a predicament Gregg labeled a “mixed-use opportunity.”
“We can be reactive and deal with these on a case-by-case basis, which would be a variance process by the board of zoning appeals,” Gregg said. “If someone wanted to live in a residential and commercial structure, they would submit a variance and get an approval or denial.”
Safety, well-being and living standards are his top concerns, he said.
Gregg would also like to see some of the town’s documentation processes shift online as opposed to keeping records on paper.
Currently, water bills in Trafalgar must be paid via cash or check, as there is no option to use a charge card. Adding this ability would improve the town’s tracking and greatly assist the town’s utility clerk, he said.
Parking tickets and violation payments must also be paid by cash or check. Gregg says the town has no electronic payment processes in place and that dissuades businesses wanting to move to Trafalgar.
“Because of the era that we are currently operating in, we are hindering our attractiveness to businesses who want to move into town,” Gregg said. “Businesses who operate out of a different location typically process their payments, their utilities and their taxes electronically. We don’t have a welcoming process to allow that. If we can make it easier, Trafalgar will become a lot more attractive.”
Gregg is under contract and will report his progress to the town council. He encourages community members to reach out to him with their concerns.
