Outside the Box
Weekly Update 11/26/2023 to 12/2/2023 #201
As often happens around this time each year people start looking toward the upcoming year. Before I venture fully down that path, let me share some of this week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.
Seymour Redevelopment Commission recently met and heard the impact their districts have on overlapping districts. The City of Seymour is impacted the hardest from the way the tax structure changes in an area. The change in distribution allows the RDC to collect more than the impact and then reuse it for economic development in allocation areas. Some of those ways include support for the Jackson County Education Coalition and the Jackson County Learning Center, Seymour Mainstreet, and various road projects. Thank you to the previous administration for setting up the RDC and expanding our funding options.
Another RDC hearing was related to the purchase of a downtown building allowing for the possibilities of a downtown theater. This was the first of many steps connected to the process allowing it to be added to the acquisition list. Thank you, RDC, for your efforts so far; I look forward to seeing how this project can add to the vibrance of our downtown.
Chatting with area pastors was on my plate more than once this week. The group at Harvest invited me out for some breakfast this week and gave me a chance to update them on the past year and a glimpse into the upcoming year. Then I had a visit from Outreach Ministries Seymour where I learned of their future plans of meeting people where they are. Last, but certainly not least, was a sit down with the Pastor Chat group which meets the first Friday of each month. Altogether, it was a good chance to learn what some of our area churches are working on and share current city projects with them.
As you have seen in some of the previous paragraphs, we have had several moments of looking forward. Other meetings this week were with some elected officials in the region. One was a sit-down with an incoming city council member from around the region. Thanks, Linda Sanders, for the chance to exchange ideas for tomorrow. The other was with Jackson County Council President Brian Thompson. Brian is also president of the Airport Authority here in Seymour. It was good to get updated on current and future projects at the airport. With the current hanger project, they are looking to add space for even more pilots to call Freeman Field home. Throw in the master plan and how they are clicking away at various tasks and the future is looking bright. I know from my side being able to talk through the city items with an outside voice that understands the government side like Brian does is very much appreciated, and I enjoy being able to add thoughts to consider on the county's side. Every time someone talks about how strained the relationship is between city and county, I think of my sit-downs with Brian and a few others and how great it is to have a connection like we do as elected officials. My favorite part of sitting down with him, though, has to be his ability to think outside the box and look for different ways to find solutions. I believe he embraces what entrepreneur Tim Ferriss says in the following quote, "It isn't enough to think outside the box. Thinking is passive. Get used to acting outside the box."