2016 State of the City Address
STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
Friday, July 22, 2016
Mayor Denny Spinner
Members of the Huntingburg City Council, Clerk Treasurer Dippel, city employees, distinguished guests and citizens of Huntingburg. Four years ago, in this very building, I stood in front of you as a new mayor, ready to embark on the mission of making Huntingburg a leader in not only Southwestern Indiana, but throughout the State. I told you we wanted to be the best Huntingburg we could be. A City Like No Other.
This mission was focused on improving our economy, reinventing the quality of life amenities our city has to offer, ensuring the trust and confidence of the citizenry, and leading our City government with a strong set of values. Four years later, I’m proud to stand in front of you and report many of these goals are being accomplished, but more is yet to be done.
As I have done in my previous State of the City addresses, I will first focus on the work that has been accomplished in the past year, but will also look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
Each year I ask our Superintendents and Department Heads to provide a report on their accomplishments in the past year. These reports all show there have been many challenges, but more successes. As Mayor I have the great privilege to make this report, but let me assure you, none of the progress that has been made could have been accomplished without the dedication and hard work of each and every man and woman that comes to work every day for the City of Huntingburg. And to each of them, all credit is due. To each of them, publicly, I say thank you.
To the facts, starting with our Water Department. To say it has been a year of challenge and transition would be an understatement. In the past twelve months the water department has seen three superintendents and taken on the largest single infrastructure project in for the department in the past decade. And they have been up to the challenge. The 4th Street water main project was discussed for decades, but this year it was completed. By implementing Cured-In-Place technology, we pioneered new ways to complete infrastructure projects.
This long-needed replacement of the vital water line that served the heart of our business district since 1891 was completed on time, under budget and with minimal disruptions to the business and residences and without a rate increase to our customers.
At the same time this work was being done, The Wastewater Department began work on a 4.3 million dollar force main and lift station replacement project, which had been in the planning stages for over four years. This project includes the installation of over two miles of new mains and sewer lines, and the replacement of the City’s two main lift stations serving the entire north side. When completed it will help relieve backup of the city’s sewer system during heavy rain events and more importantly will give the City the capacity for new housing and industry sewer costumers that are expected in the future. This work did result in a rate increase for our customers, but through the use of other city funds on hand, that increase was reduced and kept our rates at or below the rates of cities in our area.
Looking at the Energy Department, many long term projects were completed, such as a 30 year 4KV electric conversion project, a 12 year meter change-out program that replaced 33-hundred dial meters to state of the art electronic meters, the installation of underground primary electric wire in three areas that are part of a 15 area, 10 year conversion plan that started in 2010, and the plugging and capping of the former gas storage field wells.
But of equal significance was the completion of the renovation of the former Gas Garage into a state-of-the-art facility that provides E-M-T and ambulance services to the city and southern portions of the county. The original cost estimate of this project exceeded 260-thousand dollars, but by doing a majority of the work in-house, it was completed for about 148-thousand, 45 percent below the original price. The Van Buren Street location is now described by the Director of the Ambulance Services as the nicest in the county, and keeps two ambulances in its bays at all times to respond to the nearly 1,500 calls to which come to the Huntingburg station.
And one more important item from our Energy Department. The Utility Control Center at 6th and Van Buren was officially named the Loma W. Hartke building, recognizing the man who guided those departments for so long and set the example of how to be progressive in meeting the growing utility needs of our community.
The City Transit Department continues to be a valuable asset to our community providing safe, efficient, user-friendly transportation to all of our citizens. Our hard-working, courteous staff continues to assist all passengers with their transportation needs and concerns. Huntingburg Transit had a 9% increase in passenger boardings. Attesting to the skill of our drivers, transit vehicles were driven 25,201 miles inside our service area in 2015 with no reportable accidents. Many think of the transit system as something for our senior citizens, which it is, but 45% of transit trips are made by young adults, mostly for transportation to their work place. Through this service, transportation is provided to employment, healthcare appointments, grocery stores, beauty and barber Shops, Park & Rec programs, school academic and athletic events, or just visiting family and friends anywhere in the City of Huntingburg.
Our Street Department is also laying the foundation for growth in the city. In the past year, in addition to a systematic street pavement program, they have completed major projects including the complete reconstruction of one of the major thoroughfares in the city. First Street between Jackson and Van Buren was rebuilt, including the installation of a new storm sewer, as was 3rd Street between Main and Geiger. And in the effort to make our city more walkable, the sidewalk on South Main connecting to the Southridge campus was completely rebuilt.
We continue to invest in one of the Huntingburg’s greatest asset, the city’s Parks. In the past year we have seen the hiring of a new Superintendent and the addition of one staff member to meet the growth that is expected in the next year. Work continues to maintain League Stadium, including additional poured concrete exterior walls and improvements to maintenance and storage areas and the sound system. A new gazebo is now in place to accommodate smaller gatherings. And from a services perspective, we are reaching out to all ages. The Summer Park & Rec program for youth continues to grow, and our Senior Citizens program sponsored a very successful trip to Alaska.
Building for the future can also be the theme for the departments that protect our city. For the Fire Department, that meant the remodel and addition to the 11th Street Station. This project doubled the size of the existing fire station and has given us the room we need now and for future growth of the department. The addition has also allowed us to move the Fire Department’s new ladder truck into the building, making it easier for us to better serve the residents of our community. The department’s new fire truck is 78 foot Aerial. It has 128 feet of ground ladders and a 2000 gallon per minute pump. The new ladder truck will allow the firemen to better fight fires in the larger structures of the city.
The Police Department has just recently moved back into its expanded home on First Street. The department was expanded by 32-hundred square feet, providing more functional space for every aspect of the daily operation of the department. The expansion was needed not only to update facilities, but because of the expansion of the police department by two officers in the past four years.
Updates included a state-of-the art video surveillance unit, a secure booking area with separate juvenile and adult holding areas, and an emergency lockdown area added to the front vestibule. Working with local manufacturers, all of the offices have been furnished with new office furniture.
And the Police Department grew by one member. The addition of Ester and the K-9 Unit helps in our efforts to help eradicate narcotics in the city and bring those who deal in these controlled substances to justice.
In the light of the recent attacks against police officers in both Dallas and Baton Rouge, the importance of the work our police force does cannot be underestimated. Pastor Mark West of Salem United Church of Christ recently shared these thoughts on the role of the police in our society. He said one of the most important responsibilities of any government is to keep its citizens safe. Police officers play an essential part in our government fulling that obligation.
If the men and women in law enforcement are prevented from doing their job, then government cannot complete the task that they have been called to do: to keep us safe. Over the past four years, there has been a tremendous increase in the amount of training provided to all members of the department. Also, shift duties are reviewed on a regular basis, all in the interest of keeping our officers as safe as possible. This is not a matter of budget. It’s a matter of safety.
The Safety department continues monitor the challenge of maintaining coverages and controlling costs. The City of Huntingburg’s wellness program continues to be a model for other communities. This past year the focus was on stress management, with regular sessions that taught our employees ways and techniques to help control stress, providing a better work experience. And working with the Indiana Department of Labor, Huntingburg is seeking to become the first Indiana municipality to earn OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program designation. V-P-P participants develop and implement systems to effectively identify, evaluate, prevent and control occupational hazards to prevent employee injuries and illnesses.
Our Planning and Community Development departments have worked tirelessly and closely with the Mayor’s Office in the effort the guide the ongoing Stellar Community Projects. In this past year there has been significant work on two of the high priority projects that will help transform our downtown. Firms have been selected for the design work for the Market Street Park and the 4th Street Heritage Trail. Preliminary design for the park is being done by Taylor, Siefker and Williams Design Group. A technical committee has been meeting to start determining specifics for the project, which is slated to get underway in the spring of 2017, and the official application for funding from the Office of Community and Rural affairs was submitted last week. VS Engineering has the task of developing the 4th Street corridor. Work has started that will assure the area meets all the functional goals of the project, and by year’s end we will be submitting cost estimates to the Indiana Department of Transportation that will determine the funding sources that will allow the project to begin in 2018.
Reaching the goals set forth in the Stellar Designation is moving forward, but more is to be done. The Stellar projects are part of a larger vision to do just what we set out to do four years ago. To make Huntingburg the best Huntingburg it can be.
All this is being done in a fiscally responsible manner. According to the Clerk-Treasurers office, cash balances in all city funds appear to be adequate for the remaining budget year 2016. In fact, property tax revenue for City funds is slightly ahead of anticipated amounts for the year. Traditionally first half payment are higher than second half payments, but this shows our economic condition is strong. And on the utility side, all four departments have healthy balances.
A recent study by the Indiana University Public Policy Institute entitled “Thriving Communities, Thriving State” identified factors that determine if rural communities in Indiana will indeed thrive. The report said Indiana’s top priorities should be education and workforce preparation; leadership and engagement; and quality of life and quality of place. It said well-maintained physical assets and wired technology are vital to the success of rural and small towns. It says communities should provide places where new businesses can share offices and services. And the report recommends that “small towns and rural communities should promote the remarkable quality of life characteristic of these locations.”
Huntingburg is doing just that. We are not waiting to see what direction others are taking. Huntingburg is leading the way. And let me cite just a few examples.
High Speed Huntingburg will make us a connected community. The preliminary engineering work has been completed that will make high-speed fiber available to every home and business in Huntingburg. Across the country and our state, when it comes to broadband technology, the research is clear. Communities without the most up-to-date advanced telecommunications infrastructure will likely suffer economically and socially. With the High Speed Huntingburg project, we are bridging the technology gap that exists in many rural Indiana communities and giving Huntingburg yet another chance to thrive and grow. High Speed Huntingburg creates a vision for the businesses, industry and citizens of Huntingburg.
Current Blend is setting the example of what a co-share space can be in Indiana’s rural communities. John Wechsler of Launch Indiana recognized this by calling Huntingburg true north when it comes to how you make a space for innovation-driven enterprise and a shining example of excellence, humility, and purpose. That's the formula for innovative success
Working with public and private partners, we addressed the issue of workforce housing in Dubois County in innovative ways. We created a unique partnership with Boxer Girl LLC to jump start construction of Hunter’s Crossing. By sharing costs to provide the roads and utilities, new homes will be under construction before the end of the year.
We led Dubois Strong’s efforts to create a Certificate of Occupancy process that assures the investment being made in Dubois County meets the quality standards our residents have come to expect. We are the first Dubois County Community to have this process approved, in time for the opening of the Lofts at St. Joseph’s, which is the first step in bringing the former hospital property back to life.
We joined with the Dubois County Health Department, Memorial Hospital and the Association of Latin Americans in Southern Indiana to create the Latino Collaboration Table, which is opening lines of communication between our growing Hispanic population and the agencies and businesses that provide the services they need and deserve.
Huntingburg is the host for the largest Hispanic Cultural Festival in rural Indiana. We are focused on creating community pride, and members of the Latino community who live in work in the Huntingburg area demonstrate this pride during this annual gathering. This Festival is an opportunity for our newest citizens to show pride in their current home and at the same time celebrate the rich heritage of their respective homelands.
The Council and our city government will be faced with a number of challenging decisions as we look forward. And when we make those decisions, we must think about our current residents. But we must also think about our future residents. Those who do not yet live here. We must be attractive to those looking for a place to work, for those looking to retire, and to those who won’t enter the job market for years to come. That’s why everything we do – everything, from economic development, to infrastructure, to parks and recreation, to public transit – must be aimed at making Huntingburg a great place to live. To make Huntingburg the best Huntingburg we can be.
Think about how much this City has changed over the last four or five years. Now think about what the next ten might bring. Our progress wasn’t inevitable before, and it won’t be inevitable now. Earning the Stellar Designation was a huge success. And now we have the opportunity to manage success. We have the opportunity to be a truly Stellar community. A city that sets the standard for our region and for our state. A place where people want to live. And to build a foundation for success, for years and decades to come. It won’t be easy, but I truly believe that we can do it.
That’s why we must recognize the importance of investing in our downtown, in trails and parks, in infrastructure, in housing and in neighborhood development. That’s why we must focus on bold, innovative initiatives at a time when some would prefer us to maintain the status quo – to keep on doing what we had always done. By working together, we are building ourselves into A City Like No Other. We are becoming the best Huntingburg we can be. Let’s take a moment to be proud of that. And then let’s get back to work.
Dennis W. Spinner
Mayor, City of Huntingburg