Don’t Blink
Weekly update #268 3/9/2025 to 3/15/2025
Back in 2007, Kenny Chesney released his 13th number 1 song “Don’t Blink,” which is a story about an old man turning 102 and sharing his secret of life. Before that though, let me share some of my week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.
This week, the Arbor Day planning committee met to work on the upcoming Arbor Day event next month on April 24th at Brooklyn Pizza Company. This is one of our requirements to maintain our Tree City USA status but is something we have done for years in one form or another. If you join us this year, you could win prizes, do crafts, and enjoy a few rounds of tree bingo with Park and Recreation Director Chad Keithley and myself calling the action. Keep an eye out for more details to come in the future, and I hope we get to see you there.
This week, I got to spend some time with the crew at Freeman Field Municipal Airport. From battery changes to bird control, a little bit of everything was worked on, and more than anything, we talked about the history of the airport and its beginnings during World War II and looked to the future and what comes years from now. Thank you to the crew for the chance to get to hang out and catch up with everyone.
This week was one of the quarterly Jackson County Solid Waste meetings. I have served on the board since before my time serving as mayor. We had plenty to discuss and plans to make including Make Seymour Shine the week of April 7th through the 11th where you can place your unwanted items on the curb on your regular trash day, and they will be taken away free of charge. There is also a tire drop-off day coming up as well. Keep an eye out for more details on both events and more to come in the future with Jackson County Solid Waste and its partners around the region. Thank you Debbie Hackman for your work on recycling and everything solid waste related here in Jackson County.
Emerson Elementry had its annual second-grade election. This week, I had a chance to speak to the classes and share some stories about serving our community. From what departments are responsible for to how we fund road projects, we hit a little bit of everything during our chat. After spring break I will return to celebrate the winner of the election with a special event, and with that in mind, I will wait until then to announce the 2025 Emerson second-grade class president.
Well back to “Don’t Blink” by Kenny Chesney. As I visited Emerson Elementary this week, it occurred to me that my first group of second-graders from 2020 are now at Seymour Middle School in what seems like the blink of an eye. Before we know it they will be starting to plan their futures in the halls of Seymour High School and deciding if college is for them or if will they head to the workforce or who knows maybe enlist in a branch of the military. The choices are many and will be upon them before they know it, and the memories of class elections at Emerson will be distant memories. I know I have said it before, and I am sure I will say it again, but if you are underestimating our future, you are mistaken about what amazing young people we have here in our community because they will grow up and accomplish great things near and abroad. Today, I will leave you with a few lines from the song, “Best start putting first things first ‘Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand, you can’t flip it over and start again, take every breath God gives you for what it’s worth.”