Blessings

Weekly update #349 9/27/2026 to 10/3/2026

The 53rd Annual Oktoberfest has come and gone and notes are already taken for the 54th in 2027. Let me share some of my week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.

During the Accelerate Indiana Municipalities, AIM, Ideas Summit this week I was honored to receive the AIM Mayors Institute Indiana City Leadership Executive Award from the Indiana University O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs Center for Leadership in Public Service. It has taken me several years to work my way through the levels and fulfill the requirements. I was reminded during the awards luncheon about my Certified Municipal Official designation back in 2018 when I was serving on city council. That year I was one of two part-time elected officials to earn the designation. This year, I was also one of two mayors to become an Indiana City Leadership Executive. Congratulations Mayor Jenkins and thank you to everyone involved over the years to help us achieve this milestone. 

Even with the Oktoberfest taking up a large part of the city team’s calendar this week we were able to get the Crossroads Community Matching Grant, CCMG, application submitted for 2027. This year, we could earn up to $1 million to help with road paving in 2027. CCMG is the quicker turnaround grant that we try to use on projects like 4th Street just a few weeks ago. The Federal Aid Grants that we use for projects like O’Brien Street take much longer to get through the design process and get under construction. For CCMG 2027, we hope to get approved for a little over $2.2 million in total road work on 15 different roadways around the community. Thank you to everyone on the team for all you have done to get ready and submit this round and for what you have already done going into the next round of Federal Aid requests. 

While planning for the Oktoberfest starts shortly after the previous year, Oktoberfest week starts at eight a.m. on the Sunday before for several people. Sunday morning, I joined Police Chief O’Brien and my wife, who is the carnival chairperson on the board, to clear a few parking areas so Luehrs’ Ideal Rides could start the setup process. While that was going on, other items like marking for vendors were going on around the same time. Tuesday night vendor set up starts with clearing the roads just before six p.m. so that the Department of Public Works can get the information booth set and start dropping electric connections into place for the electricians to hook up. When that work is completed, vendors start rolling in and getting in place. Then on Wednesday local non-profit vendors are given a chance to open up for workers and community members to enjoy. Eleven a.m. on Thursday morning Oktoberfest officially kicks off. The events list was as long as ever this year with some new items like the Young Entrepreneurs event on Friday night giving our future business leaders a chance to show their talents early. This year, my one of 100 hat pin design was dedicated to the balloon glow. Unfortunately, the wind didn’t lay down enough Friday night for the event to happen, but they came back Saturday night and gave it another go. At the end of the night Saturday night, the tear down starts promptly at 11 p.m. As I flip the switch on the lead truck to get the lights moving, we start with picnic tables as vendors start their teardown process, and we work towards converting downtown back to normal. Thank you to all the non-profits who work hard raising funds for their annual projects. Thank you to all the vendors who make the festival what it is. Thank you to all the volunteers both on the board organizing and in the booths. It wouldn’t be possible without you. This week, I want to leave you with the words of Henry Ward Beecher because I have been lucky to find so many heavenly blessings,  "The thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings."