Residents press Bluff City on public records, IT contracting and governance

Multiple residents raised governance and transparency concerns during both public-comment periods at the Bluff City meeting.

One speaker asked the board to schedule a series of town halls to engage residents on the town’s future plans. Another resident warned that, absent timely repairs at 4406 Bluff City Highway, they would seek legal representation. During the second public-comment session Heather Shafer reported on a court hearing concerning public-records requests and said the town was ordered to turn over records and pay court costs; she summarized a tabulation of attorney fees paid to Heron McPeek (reported in the meeting as $3,092.04) and court costs totaling $486.10, which she said together amounted to $3,578.14 in taxpayer expense related to that case.

Shafer and others criticized the town’s distribution of an outdated public-records form and said several outstanding records requests remain unfulfilled. Residents also questioned an IT contracting process and an onboarding fee and asked for a clearer public accounting of what was paid and whether equipment promised by a canceled vendor has been returned.

Town leaders responded that some contracts had been signed and then canceled and that staff are pursuing equipment and documentation; the mayor and staff said details will be placed on a future agenda for follow-up. The board did not take formal action on charter changes or records-process reforms during the meeting.