Plate Spinning
Weekly Update #214 2/25/2024 to 3/2/2024
I have joked before that serving as mayor is often like being a plate spinner with a few dozen plates going at the same time. Before I spin this thought some more though, let me share some of my week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.
Last weekend, the Mayor's Youth Council toured the Statehouse and learned about state government. It was a great chance to talk a little about some of the process it takes to pass a law here in Indiana as well as learn about a beautiful building and all that it houses. Thank you to our tour guide and everyone who was able to join us for the day.
This week, I had a chance to welcome students from across the county to the first Jobs for America’s Graduates Day here in Jackson County. It was good to see such a large group from so many different schools. During the event, I was able to learn that JAG has recently grown and is looking to grow more making Jackson County one of the best across the state. I wasn’t able to stay for the entire event, but if the speakers all day were as good as the ones before and after me, it was very informative for our students. Great work by Jackie Hill and everyone involved in the event; it seemed to be well received by the students, and I am sure they walked away with many ideas for their futures.
This week, I presented the State of the City to the Common Council and Seymour Noon Lions Club. It was a good chance to share the good news that is Seymour with even more in our community. These are just the first of several times over the next few weeks that I will present to various groups sharing about how 2023 looked. Things like new playgrounds, road funding, replacing 60-year-old sewer lines, 54 pounds of meth taken off the streets, leadership changes at Seymour Fire Department, and new housing starts are all just pieces of the State of the City that I delivered to Common Council on Monday and Seymour Noon Lions on Thursday. Thank you to everyone who listened along, and if you missed it, you can check Seymour City Hall social media to watch the recording that was broadcast live. Thank you to all 200+ of our employees who helped make 2023 such a great year to talk about in the State of the City.
I had a chance to share my favorite children's book Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton with several students this week as I read for Read Across America Day. While I have loved this book since I was a child over the last few years I have learned to appreciate the message that great ideas can come from anyone at any given time. This is true even from our children if they take time to be heard and we take time to listen. This leads me to another stop this week where I heard from Seymour Middle School students about their ideas for Seymour. Some are very much not in the power of the city to tackle, but every year there are a few that may lead to the next big thing. Both, though, create a conversation and a chance for our youth to learn about what goes on in their city government and understand a little better than before. Thank you to all our teachers and an extra thank you to the ones who invited me this week to speak with our future leaders.
No big closing this week because if you look back over the last few paragraphs you will see some plate spinning examples that are a small amount that myself and our city team keep going each day. I will leave you with these words from Plato to consider, "If we are to have any hope for the future, those who have lanterns must pass them on to others."