Invest
Weekly update #277 5/11/2025 to 5/17/2025
One event that I participated in this week showed that we live a community that invests in the future. Before that though, let me share some of my week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.
Back in the 1980s members of our community worked to replace Shields Park Pool. After construction was completed the current pool opened around 1990. In 2020/21 one of the pieces identified in the master plan for Seymour Parks and Recreation was to refurbish the pool. At that time it was added into our capital funding planning, and we knew we would have to be patient as we worked towards the project. Our planning put the project into the 2025 funding cycle, and we started planning, but that work was paused as we waited for the the state legislation to sort out Senate Bill 1 earlier this year, so we could see projections of what our funding would look like for 2026 and beyond. As those projections were prepared, I was finally comfortable presenting a bond request to council members at their last meeting. The $4.5 million project will update and replace several aspects of the current pool. Starting on the competition side of the pool, replacements include the 30-year old filtration system, lifeguard chairs, chairs around the deck, starting blocks, and more. A new kids fun area similar to others around the state with a beach style entry to avoid the drop off that used to exist and much more. An updated and expanded concession and picnic area as well as adding restrooms and splitting the filtration into two systems instead of one. I could probably write the whole update on how the bond process is similar to how we financed Fire Station 2 a few years ago and all the details about the project itself, but I will stop here and simply say thank you to members of council for reading the materials and getting us started on the later stages of the project with a yes vote this week. To those who did this back in the 1980s, I also say thank you for looking to the future and investing in a lasting product like the current Shields Park Pool.
This past Tuesday was the 29th Annual Day of Caring organized by the Jackson County United Way. This event has been near and dear to my heart as I served on the board for several years prior to serving as mayor. Now, even though my schedule doesn’t allow me to help like I did in the past, I still love to see our community come together and help one another in a very large way. For 2025, they had over 750 volunteers work on over 70 projects for non-profits and community members across Jackson County. Thank you to everyone involved; from the planning stages to the day of, you have made a difference right here at home in your community, and I can only imagine that the 30th Annual Day of Caring in 2026 will be bigger and better than ever.
Just a couple of mornings ago, I had the honor of presenting five awards at the Seymour High School Honor Day on behalf of the Jackson County Solid Waste District. As I sat and watched presenters from across the community, I couldn’t help but realize how we live in a community that invests in the future via our greatest asset, our youth. Last week, I talked about the YoJack program investing in the future via eighth graders, and this week it is across the community via those who have added funds to the Community Foundation of Jackson County, Greater Seymour Trust Fund, charitable organizations, and so many more. This year, I believe over $2 million was awarded to help our seniors go to college and trade schools after graduation. To everyone that has helped over the years with any of the funds awarded, thank you for investing in the future. I will leave you with a quote from Danny Thomas this week and encourage you to continue support as you can, "Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others."