Looking Back…Looking Ahead
December 21st, 2014“Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change.”
– Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur
Today is a good day to contemplate those community elements which brought us to 2015. As Mayor of Jasper one of the key contributors to where we are today is our 2010 Comprehensive Plan. In the Summary of Public Input eight key issues and ideas were identified and our goals, as stated, said: “There was overwhelming agreement the community should aggressively pursue ways to diversify its economy, continue to promote Jasper’s unique cultural history, as well as strengthen its quality of life.”
I’ve listed the ideas from the Comprehensive Plan below and included a brief update of how they have been addressed in my first three years in office. It should be noted that nearly 400 people attended public meetings on many of these actions:
- Support and strengthen local businesses in the community especially in the downtown area.
- We completed and adopted the Jasper Downtown & Riverfront Master Plan and we’re pursuing designation of Downtown Jasper as a Historic District.
- Continue to support and expand recent development along the Patoka River.
- Through ROJAC, the German American Boulevard was unveiled and we are working on construction of a labyrinth meditation path along the Riverwalk with financial support from the Jasper Desk Foundation and the Dubois County Community Foundation.
- Capitalize on, and provide greater variety of, accommodations for visitors.
- The Master Plan has provided us with an instrument for marketing this area and we have met with a dozen developers over the course of this year – many of whom have never been here before. Discussions on apartments, condominiums, hotel and mixed uses of downtown and riverfront properties have taken place.
- Seek innovative ways to retain and/or redevelop underutilized factories or similar buildings in the downtown area.
- Our meetings with developers led to the $13 million proposal to redevelop the old JOFCO building into apartments for our workforce.
- Preserve the surrounding rural setting (avoid sprawl) and seek ways to support local farm practices.
- The 2010 Comprehensive Plan called for the City to take a proactive approach to tax abatement and TIF in Jasper. In the last three years all of our abatements have been with locally-owned companies within our existing industrial areas. So far the new investments have totaled over $40 million dollars and projected more than 400 new jobs.
- We also invested in The Parklands of Jasper, a 50-acre park in the center of the community.
- We applied for and received State Shovel-ready designation for the 142-acre Kimball Industrial Park all within our city limits.
- Continue to support and strengthen Jasper’s unique arts and cultural programs.
- The current proposal by a not-for-profit group to purchase and re-open the Astra and to work with the Jasper Arts Department is in response to this call to action.
- Encourage new development that reflects and enhances the unique character and qualities of the community.
- Again, the Downtown & Riverfront Master Plan calls for investment in our downtown and we are currently working on funding such a project.
- Provide a greater variety or affordable housing options as one method to attract families to Jasper.
- Along with the JOFCO proposal the City of Jasper is participating with Dubois Strong in a county-wide housing study.
I ask for your support in my 2015 campaign for Mayor to keep Jasper on the right path!
Terry