Forecasts
Weekly update #271 3/30/2025 to 4/5/2025
Are the forecasts right? Will what they modeled be close? These are just a few of the questions running through my head as we discuss weather events before they arrive. Before that though, let me share some of my week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.
This week, I had a chance to participate in a series of conversations that Seymour Community Schools has been having with local leaders. I was joined by Freeman Municipal Airport Director Colin Smith and Water Pollution Control Director Jarin Gladstein as we shared various topics related to our roles in the community. I am sure we didn’t solve all the world's problems, but it was good to put faces with names and get a chance to talk through different topics and learn from one another along the way. Thank you, Assistant Superintendent Ferguson, for the invitation to participate.
Did you get a chance to attend the Crossroads of Culture event hosted by a team from Leadership Jackson County and the Mayor’s Youth Council? The event had booths from around the world as well as local organizations highlighting their cultures. I am sure I don’t have to share, but culture is defined as “the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group;” the organizers wanted to make sure to include that last part as they prepared because as a community, we have many cultures developed within social groups such as charitable organizations and employers. Congratulations and good work to everyone involved in bringing this event to life.
This week, I visited Water Pollution Control as part of my weekly workday. We had a chance to check out the progress on the plant upgrades that are the last parts of our state revolving fund award. The first belt press is up and running as they prepare to set the second press, and the ultraviolet system work is moving along as well. Both projects will make the facility more efficient when they are completed and extend the operational life after the upgrades. To the crew at WPC, keep up the good work; the pride you take in your work shows.
Over the last few weeks, we have had several weather-related events, from storms to current flooding. Various departments have different pieces they put into place depending on what is projected. The last few days, the Emergency Management Director Toby Ortman has been working with several area agencies, including Seymour Department of Public Works, to prepare for and respond to flooding. From securing sandbags, which we hopefully won’t need, to staging them not only around Seymour, but around locations in the county like Medora, we have been able to prepare for the upcoming crest, which is currently projected to be the third highest in our area's history under a foot lower than 2008 and just over a foot lower than 1913. I shared in the opening lines a few of the many questions I have as we approach every weather event. While hoping that the storms will pass us by, we still have to be ready for when they don’t. To all the city team and their many partners, like EMA, thank you for all your hard work and dedication. Our community is better because of the time and care that you put in. Today, I will leave you with the words of Colin Powell, "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."