Spring Flowers
Weekly update #320 3/8/2026 to 3/14/2026
Spring flowers always bring a smile to my face. Before that though, let me share some of my week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.
Seymour Parks and Recreation had a busy week last week. Monday afternoon was the March Park Board meeting, where they discussed naming a facility after long-time board member Art Jeurgens. A big part of the week, they worked to prepare for the first ball tournament of the season, getting a long list of things ready to go. One of those items was the concession stands, which have been managed by an outside vendor for the last several years but are now back in-house this year. Preparing the point of sale system, passing health inspection, stocking the stand, and so much more were a part of getting ready just this week. If you go back further, you have interviews for new part-time workers, approving appropriations via the City Council, job offers, and drug testing, all happened since the February board meeting. Thank you to all our parks team. I appreciate all you do for our community and those who visit the parks.
Parks also had Pampered Tea for Two, where they take a chance to focus on our young ladies. The event has been held for several years now, and participants get the princess treatment with hair, makeup, crafts, a nail station, storytime, cupcakes, and drinks. Everyone seemed to be having a good time when I dropped by to check in with the parks team Saturday morning. Thank you to everyone involved, from staff to volunteers alike.
This past week, I hosted Accelerate Indiana Municipalities at City Hall for the Southeast Mayors Roundtable. This is a chance for mayors from around the region to come together and discuss various issues going on in their communities and see how others have handled similar problems. I am always amazed by how we have the same issues just on different levels based on how large or small the community is. Roads and funding are on everyone’s minds as I learned from the discussion. Future funding is on the minds of all as we navigate the effects of SEA-1 from the 2025 session at the State House. Sewer departments are all facing aging infrastructure across the region just with more or less miles in each system. Thank you, AIM, for reminding us to get together and allowing me to host here in Seymour for this SEMRT.
This week, Clerk-Treasurer Boas and I met with Seymour’s financial advisor to discuss how 2025 looked and took the first look at budget forecasts for 2027 and beyond. Thank you, department heads, for your diligence in staying on budget year after year. I look forward to working through your 2027 budget requests in the not-so-distant future.
Yesterday, as I stopped to take a picture of a daffodil as I went to visit with one of my granddaughters, I realized that it was probably planted by a family member five generations before her. That plant, as well as the memories of my Great Aunt Wilma, made me smile then and make me smile now as I type this weekly update. I hope you take a second as you smile at a spring bloom and consider who may have planted it if you didn’t, and I hope you take a chance to continue to make people smile after you are gone by planting some bulbs this fall for future generations to enjoy. Today, I will leave you with these words from Lady Bird Johnson, "Where flowers bloom so does hope."