Huge Heart
Weekly Update #216 3/10/2024 to 3/16/2024
Wow, what a week it has been! I could easily spend another update talking about one topic, but since I have talked about it 13 times here over the last 16 months and dedicated a whole update to it last week, I will share some of what is going on around our community and come back to it for a brief minute later in the update.
This week, I started my second-year courses in my pursuit to improve myself for our community via Ball State University and their Certified Public Management II program. I finished year one online during COVID times but chose to wait until I could attend in person to finish this two-year program. Thank you to our professor and the cohort for a good first session. I look forward to learning more as we go.
Another of my days this week was spent at Purdue University in West Lafayette for Purdue Road School. Being a recently appointed member of the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) board, I felt like I should make sure I could attend at least a portion of the event. I had a chance to sit through a few really good sessions on various topics and even watched as ideas were sparked for a member of our Seymour team. I also caught up with some connections from around the state during my trip north. I appreciate LTAP and all the hard work they put in to help bring up our state starting at the community level.
This week, besides meetings like Park Board and Common Council, I had a chance to record next Tuesday's Breakfast Club with Curt Nichols to be aired on March 19th at 9:05 am via 1390 AM and 99.3 FM. This is a program that I have been participating in for over four years now and is always a great chance to chat about what is going on around the community. This Tuesday you will be able to hear first-hand information again on the Brookings Study that was released in September 2023 via The Tribune, television, website, Facebook, JCIDC newsletter, hard copies given to council members, and radio. As always a big thank you to not just WZZB but also to WJAA as each month I have a chance to share information.
Well, I guess the end of that last paragraph will kick off another paragraph related to the Brookings Study. First, NO we are not a sanctuary city or trying to become one. As I stated last week, and a few times before, two of the thirteen tasks related to the study are connected to immigrants, and they are trying to expand existing programs to help those already here adapt to living in our area. No, I can't tell you if they are legal or illegal because, contrary to comments being stated as “facts” on the internet, we can’t randomly stop people to ask about their status. What we can and do is continue to arrest people who commit crimes like Drunk Driving or Operator Never Licensed when they do. The two items connected to immigration have nothing to do with housing as some have stated as “facts” here on the internet. This week, I had one concerned citizen tell me that he would not take the time to read the study and educate himself on it. Later in our conversation, he stated that the good work that we have done in this study and beyond are being overshadowed by national politics. He went on to say, “You have a huge caring heart for people, but maybe it is too big.” Sir, you are correct that I do have a huge caring heart. I also have enough common sense to try to keep how we respond within the laws we are given to work under. I can’t find anywhere in State or Federal Code that a “Sanctuary City” ordinance is worth the paper it is written on. That it is not as simple as telling a company legally operating in America they can’t operate in our city. The legal window for turning a company away is very narrow and often is tested in court over and over again. I also know that citizens can say whatever they want here in the comments even if they are not correct. That is why about nine months ago I turned off notifications and stopped reading the comments here on social media. That doesn’t stop some from sending me screenshots. What I have been absolutely amazed by this week, though, is the supportive messages I have gotten from not only trusted community members, but a few times complete strangers.