We live in a community full of wonderful people. We are all in a strange moment in history that we likely won’t forget anytime soon. Today is not the “new normal.” Today is the “current normal,” and we will recover and get back to business as usual soon. What exactly it will look like is yet to be seen, but our residents are resilient and will help one another through.
Welcome aboard to our newest hires. Fireman Arthur and Officer Teltow were both sworn in last Thursday. I will always be struck by how proud the families are when new firemen and officers are sworn in. They should be proud as to get hired on at either department requires several items of upfront leg work to be completed. To Fireman Arthur and Officer Teltow, no pressure here, but I look forward to returning at the end of your long careers to offer my congratulations on your retirement.
This week we started accepting applications for the first Mayor’s Youth Council. This program will run during the school year, and the deadline is April 30 at 5 p.m. Students must be in grades 9-12 during the upcoming school year and may apply by emailing
Weddings at a social distance. I really do enjoy helping couples join, and even in this strange time, I will still officiate an outdoor wedding that meets CDC guidelines. What exactly that means is no groups larger than ten. Most weddings I perform have one or two witnesses. Everyone except the couple will social distance, and we will make it happen. Congrats to both couples this week who said I do.
Road construction update:
The intersection of Centennial and Sout O’Brien streets has reopened after a manhole replacement. Vectren has completed their part on Airport Road. This week, we will see O’Mara start on Phase I of Phase III of Burkhart South, which may include some flagger moments, but will not shut the road down completely. If you are in the area use caution. The intersection of Hillcrest and Burkhart South is currently closed for some sewer work related to Burkhart Phase I.
The Board of Works this week approved the City joining forces with Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation to apply for a grant to help support small business. I won’t go into great detail at the moment, but will gladly share all the details if we are awarded the grant.
This week should have been the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. Understandably, we had to cancel the event. We did, however, get the speakers to record their messages and were able to post it on Friday morning. If you would like to see the video, head over to the Seymour City Hall Facebook page. While I would have liked to greet you all in person, this at least kept the 25 year event going so we can host the 26th annual event in 2021. Happy Easter! I hope you were able to be a digital witness and hear the word.
The horizon at the moment is where we get back to life after the stay-at-home orders are lifted. Before we cross that horizon we need to each have a plan of who and where we are going to share our hard earned dollars or how we can help with our talents. I have witnessed many start to volunteer with local non-profits and hope you will continue. We are surviving this as a group and have to recover as a group. Many have suffered financial hardships because of this virus. Now is a time to support efforts that will help them. Soon enough the horizon will change, and we will look to it with hopes and convictions of a better life.
I leave you this week with a quote from FDR. “We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
Matt Nicholson is the mayor of Seymour. Send comments to awoods@aimmedia indiana.com.