Time Off
Weekly Update 12/18/2022 to 12/24/2022 #152
Taking time off is not one of my strongest skills. This past week is not much different. Let me share some of my week off serving as mayor of the best smalltown in America before I explore this thought more.
Redevelopment Commission met for the final time in 2022 this week. While they didn’t have much on the agenda, they still had claims to approve on various projects that are still in different stages of completion. Thank you to all the members for your service to our community.
As I write this, the temperature is just above zero. For several days prior to this winter weather, we were getting updates from Jackson County Emergency Management. As they would get information from the National Weather Service, they shared it with various agencies so that we can update our planning to meet the needs of what is being forecasted. Thank you to everyone involved with working on the fly as plans are adjusted many times during a weather event.
Speaking of weather, this storm brought with it unusually low temperatures and snow and ice on the roadways. As the crews headed out for the first shifts in the plow trucks, they knew they would have a short window of effectiveness for the salt to do its job. Many may not realize it but road salt doesn’t work as well below 15 degrees. The crews worked hard to stay up with the blowing snow and provide the safest routes possible. As the sun shines and the temps get back up to the teens they should be able to make a dent in the underlying ice. Thank you to Beach Heating and Air Conditioning for thinking of them and providing a tab for them to fill their stomachs at Brooklyn Pizza. Thank you to our crews for the countless hours they spend away from their families trying to provide safe travels on our roadways.
Roadways were one of my meetings this week or should I say what roadways we are going to apply for matching funds from the Crossroads Community Matching Grant in 2023. In November, we got our 2022 ratings back for all the sections of Seymour’s 100-plus miles of roadways. After that information was reviewed, several members of the team put together a wish list of what roads to work on in 2023. Since we can’t afford $10 million in road repairs this coming year we have to narrow it down. The next several versions of the list are so we can make sure we have the most needed roads and the best combination of sections to get the most bang for our dollars spent. As we get close to our final submission coming up in early January, we always struggle to decide which ones will become a part of our 2024 requests. Thank you to everyone involved in this process. I know it isn’t easy and no matter what selections are made we can’t make everyone happy.
Well, that is my week that I tried to take some time off in. While I am getting better at using parts of my vacation each year, I still have plenty of work to go before I can say I am good at it. Part of my role serving as mayor is long hours and most weekdays start around 7 am and go after City Hall closes for the day. I am not complaining because this is what I signed up for, and honestly, I can tell you I love serving our community. Thank you all for allowing me to serve another year, and I look forward to many more to come. Merry Christmas, everyone, I hope you get a chance to visit with family and friends while you unwind before the new year starts next week.