Community Forward Greencastle

Buy Local This Holiday Season

2011-12-19T12:14:00.005-05:00

Holiday shopping-time is winding down. But if you're still looking for a great gift idea, look no further! Why don't you give your friends or family a "Buy Local" gift certificate?

The Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce has Buy Local gift certificates available right now, and they can be redeemed at one of nearly 100 area businesses. These companies offer everything from apparel, automotive supplies and services, technology products and services, entertainment, flowers and gifts, health and beauty supplies and services, home and garden items, and lodging. Restaurants and other specialty stores are also on the list of gift certificate participants.

You can purchase a gift certificate, in amounts of $10 or $25, by going to the Chamber's offices at 16 S. Jackson St., or by calling 765-653-4517.

The Chamber is also partnering with local businesses to offer "24 Days of Buy Local Savings" through this Saturday. This week, deals are available on appliances, home decor, restaurant meals, clothing and the local newspaper. Click here to see the calendar listings of Buy Local savings for Dec. 19 through Dec. 24.

Thanks for all you do to support Greencastle businesses. We appreciate your efforts to keep local dollars in our community.

Happy holidays!

Night Stalkings…Er, Stockings…

2011-10-06T11:52:00.006-04:00

The “Night Stockings.”

If you’ve been on the courthouse square, you’ve seen ‘em. If you’ve stopped by City Hall, you’ve seen ‘em.

Someone has been stalking the City of Greencastle at night, to find just the right spots for their knitted creations.

It remains a mystery who’s behind these colorful adornments, but they are certainly pleasing to the eye.

Others have blogged about the stockings, too, of course – one blogger even helped us learn a new term: “yarn bombing,” which is described as a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth, rather than paint or chalk.

Still, no one knows the intrepid knitter’s identity.

Anyone care to guess who’s leaving the Night Stockings around town? Any hints at all?

Let us know in the Comments section below!

Greencastle Community Garden: Major Progress and Moving Into Phase Two

2011-08-15T12:42:00.012-04:00

This summer, the Greencastle Community Garden has been rebuilt, thanks to a number of DePauw students and local residents.

Project Coordinator Michael Verbeek, a DePauw junior and Bonner Scholar, has led the community garden project over the past few months. He and members of the university’s Spanish Immersion Program, which is made up of both incoming freshmen and upperclassmen leaders, ensured that the garden was tilled, composted and fenced. They even helped build the ten 8-by-4 foot plots that are featured in the space.

Local volunteers lent a hand, as well. Bruce Sanders, the primary manager of the garden, was pivotal to this summer’s progress, and Brian Cox provided fencing expertise. Matt Brauer, a recent graduate of DePauw, also helped out.

Financial support for the most recent community garden efforts came from a generous grant by the DePauw University Bonner Program Community Fund. The grant not only made it possible for the plots and fence to be constructed, but it also allowed for the inclusion of an ADA-accessible bed.

These combined efforts mean that phase one of this year’s project is now complete . Phase two will begin at the end of the season. Tires and cinder block plots will soon be removed and replaced with new wooden plot dividers. By the end of the project, Verbeek estimates there will be about 30 plots in total.

Future plans for the garden include a picnic table and a sign designed and colored by elementary school students.

The Greencastle Community Garden is located on the City Hall reserve parking site off Franklin St. First launched in 2009, it is a culmination of the hard work of community members, DePauw students, and the Greencastle Sustainability Commission.

*Please note: All of the compost for the Greencastle Community Garden was donated by DePauw University. Next spring Verbeek plans to organize a composting day where local residents can utilize extra compost from DePauw to further promote home gardening.

Happy 50th Anniversary to the Putnam County Playhouse!

2011-05-27T14:47:00.012-04:00

We are nearing the end of what Mayor Sue Murray officially proclaimed "Putnam County Playhouse 50th Anniversary Week."

Yes, this week, May 22-28, 2011, has been all about celebrating the Putnam County Playhouse's big milestone!

Above are some photos we took outside the playhouse recently, as well as a shot of the banner hanging near City Hall commemorating the anniversary. The Banner-Graphic has put together a great series of stories on the history of the theater -- you can read the first installment of the series by clicking here.

Don't forget: the playhouse is having an open house tomorrow, May 28, from 3 to 5 p.m. There will be refreshments and, of course, entertainment.

What's your favorite memory of the playhouse? Be sure to share it below! And here's to 50 more years of fun at the Putnam County Playhouse!

Putnam RISE earns well-deserved attention

2011-04-13T17:16:00.010-04:00

We thought you'd enjoy this story from the Herald-Times in Bloomington. It's a great article about Putnam RISE, a broad partnership that's bringing energy savings and investments to schools, homes and businesses across the county.

---------------

Putting the ‘green’ in Greencastle
Putnam RISE involves whole county in saving energy

By Dawn Hewitt331-4377 | dhewitt@heraldt.com
April 8, 2011

An initiative is under way in Putnam County that encourages residents, civic organizations and governmental units to cut energy use and support the local economy. Energy challenges are heating up homes and schools, with cash and prizes valued at more than $40,000 at stake.

Some lucky resident of Putnam County — Greencastle is the county seat — will win a “Green Home Makeover” that includes four new energy-efficient home appliances; 100 homes will receive free energy audits; and 21 homes will get weatherized — for free.

Schools are competing, not only to cut their March and April electric and natural gas bills relative to the same months in 2010, but also to get households to sign on to an Energy Saving Pledge, in which residents promise to take any or all of dozens of actions to cut energy consumption and to save money on utility bills.

The project is called Putnam RISE — Renewal, Investment, Savings and Efficiency — and is funded by the Putnam County Community Foundation and the Vectren Foundation. Partners are numerous, including all 16 schools in the county’s four public school corporations; the Greencastle Chamber of Commerce; Greencastle Presbyterian Church; and Shuee & Sons Great Buys Plus, the local store that will donate the four appliances.

Similar initiatives have been undertaken or are under way in Monroe County — examples include free home energy audits from the city of Bloomington , the Earth Care interfaith coalitions’s energy conservation program and Indiana University ’s own campuswide energy challenge competition. However, Putnam County ’s approach is to reach multiple constituencies with a single, comprehensive program.

As of Tuesday, 1,005 homes have taken the Energy Saving Pledge in Putnam County , which counted only 12,374 households in the 2000 Census. That means 8 percent of the county’s households are participating.

And for reasons Greencastle Sustainability Commission Chairman Steve Setchell can’t explain, 21 households in Indianapolis , Terre Haute , Bloomington and elsewhere have signed the online pledge as well.

“Our interest is, on the most broad level, to help households across county to secure energy savings from efficiency and conservation efforts represented in the pledge,” Setchell said. “Greencastle schools, for example, have been working on this since 2006, and have secured well over a half-million dollars in savings at a time when budgets are streamlined. That’s money we can reinvest in teachers, students and instruction.”

The Greencastle Chamber of Commerce is on board, too, organizing a buy-local campaign that will offer “Buy Local Bucks” — coupons given with certain purchases at local retailers that are good for discounts at other local stores. That component of Putnam RISE is expected to kick off May 1.

“We realized we wanted to strengthen the value of local consumption, realizing that local business are the red, beating heart of the community,” Setchell said.

Setchell said Greencastle’s mayor, Sue Murray, is an enthusiastic proponent of Putnam RISE.

“Efforts to make our greater community more energy efficient are a benefit to all. Not only can it help individuals, households, schools, and municipalities save money, the benefits of learning more sustainable practices are good for the planet and last a lifetime,” Murray said in an email. “Sustainability is something I have been interested in before taking office, and as a city, we have worked hard to improve our practices, and are very proud to be the only city in Indiana to receive Indiana Association of Cities and Towns’ Green Community of the Year award each of the three years that the state evaluation competition has been offered.”

The Greencastle Sustainability Commission says in its mission statement that “it will take a village to achieve environmental solutions to strengthen our community, economy, culture and quality of life.”

Putnam RISE has invited not just the village, but the entire county to reach together for that common goal.

Stellar Communities Success

2011-03-07T23:27:00.009-05:00

We received some outstanding news today! The City of Greencastle was selected as one of the two pilot communities for the state's new multi-year, multi-million-dollar Stellar Communities program!

We are so proud of the hard work that so many people put into our proposal for this program. There's no doubt that our strong partnership with DePauw played a huge role in this positive outcome. THANK YOU to everyone who did their part to ensure that Greencastle came out on top.

We'll share more information soon on what this new state funding will mean to the city's strategic plans for the next few years, but in the meantime, click here to read Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman's news release on the Stellar Communities program, or click here to check out the Banner-Graphic's story.

One last note -- Lt. Gov. Skillman will be here on Thursday herself, to make the news official! It will be a great day!

2011 State of the City

2011-03-04T14:49:00.004-05:00

Greencastle Mayor Sue Murray shared her thoughts on the "State of the City" in the Banner-Graphic this week. Below you can read the entirety of her remarks. Please feel free to start your own discussion on Greencastle's successes and challenges in the comments section at the end of this post. Thanks!

--------------

When asked, “How are things in Greencastle?” my response is, “We are paying our bills; we finished the year in the black; and we have continued to provide the services our citizens expect.” In these times of economic challenge I am proud and relieved to be able to make that report.

Without a doubt we are in such an enviable position because of the hard work, efficiencies found, and fiscal diligence of our employees and their supervisors. To all of them, I again, say thank you.

2010 was a year of other significant accomplishments also. I would like to share some of those with you.
• We held our first Youth Engagement Summit.
• We received two AARA grants totaling $99,767 that provided for the retrofitting of all remaining traffic lights to LED technology and a new energy efficient lighting system to the Greencastle Fire Department.
• We completed the Albin Pond and Safe Route to School pathway projects.
• We initiated a sidewalk cost-share program for property owners.
• We entered into a “Friendship City” agreement with Qianjiang City, China.
• 9 holes, of a disc golf course, were completed at Big Walnut Sports Park.
• We were named a Tree City for the 11th year and for the first time, received the Growth Award from the Arbor Day Foundation, for our tree planting efforts.
• We completed the North Jackson Lift Station.
• We were able to pave a second parking lot at the Big Walnut Sports Park.
• We extended the curbside trash contract with expanded recycling at no increase in cost.
• We conducted a second series of neighborhood community meetings.
• The city’s Sustainability Commission’s Putnam RISE proposal received the $100,000 Envision ’11 Grant from the Putnam County Community Foundation.
• We received a Disaster Recovery Grant from OCRA (Office of Community and Rural Affairs) of $530,000 for the needed renovations and improvements to the Albin Pond Lake Dam.
• We were named the Green Community of the Year by IACT (Indiana Association of Cities and Towns) for the third time in as many years.
• We were one of two Indiana cities in the final competition for the 2010 Award for Municipal Excellence given by the National League of Cities.
• We are one of twelve finalists for the Indiana Stellar Communities Pilot grant project.
• We are completing the transition to a radio meter reading system in the Water Department.
• We have received a Downtown Façade Planning Grant of $46,620 from OCRA.

2010 found our population moving just over the 10,000 mark. (Our first census information has us as 10,326 strong.)

Looking to the future and securing our place in it, is a challenging responsibility. There are many influences, opportunities, and coincidences that are outside of municipal control, but have a profound effect on how we plan and how we do our jobs. We will continue to do the daily work of cities: to provide for the public safety, utility services, park and recreational opportunities, planning and building support, a resting place for our departed, and road and sidewalk rehabilitation. We will also continue to look for partnerships and chances for collaboration that will help us grow and enhance our human, social and physical capital. If we do these things, I am confident that we, as a community, will continue to thrive. 2010 was a good year. 2011 has the possibility to be even better.

City Workers Deserve Gratitude

2011-02-08T11:22:00.005-05:00
Mayor Sue Murray wrote a letter to the editor, praising public service employees for their great work during the recent ice storm.

The letter appeared in the Feb. 4 Banner-Graphic -- here's a link to it, and the full text follows, as well.
-------

To the Editor:
I have never been more proud of our city employees than I am today.

The challenges that the storms this week have brought have been plentiful and burdensome.

To a person their greatest concern has been how they can help to be sure that people in our community are safe; whether that's working extended shifts, taking on new responsibilities at the EOC (Putnam County Emergency Operations Center) or helping other departments.

City streets have been plowed and treated by the 24-hour work of our Department of Public Works.

Our Fire Department has responded to nearly one hundred calls and helped clear trees and branches from roadways.

Greencastle Police personnel spent three days working two 12-hour shifts patrolling our streets and answering the many calls from our citizens that came through Central Dispatch.

Our utility personnel have weathered the challenges of power outages and worked diligently to keep our water and wastewater systems operating at full efficiency.

Parks personnel are clearing walkways and cleaning debris and our cemetery crew has continued to provide services to families and their loved ones despite the weather.

All of this has been done without complaint, despite loss of sleep and time with their own families.

We all owe them a debt of gratitude.

What we have also learned is that events like this affect us all, regardless of township lines. Our ability to have a centralized, unified approach to dealing with emergency issues is our best response.

Our countywide emergency management team has done an outstanding job coordinating and tracking our responses. Duke Energy has brought in extra crews to restore power to the over 7,000 in this district that lost power and the National Guard stood ready to help with the response.

The meteorologists remind us that if we had received freezing rain rather than sleet our challenges would have been greater. For those of us now on the backside of the ice storm of 2011, we know that this challenge would have been greater if it weren't for the coordinated efforts of all involved and the dedication of the public service employees throughout the county.

Mayor Sue Murray

City of Greencastle

Youth Engagement Summit survey: We need your input!

2011-01-25T14:01:00.007-05:00
By Nathan Mullins, DePauw University sophomore and Mayor’s Office intern

Hi, I’m Nathan Mullins and I’m a sophomore at DePauw University. I’ve been interning with Mayor Sue Murray for the past three weeks of winter term.

The beginning of my time here was mostly spent researching community development corporations, as well as helping in whatever way I could with the city’s proposal for a Stellar Communities grant.

More recently, I’ve been assisting with the plans for this year’s Youth Engagement Summit (YES) -- set for Feb. 27 -- an effort aimed at getting the 16-22 year olds of our city involved in the community and informed about what’s going on where they live.

Though we learned many things through the city’s first-ever YES in 2010, it was clear that this age group represented an untapped resource. That’s why the city is organizing another summit in 2011, as well as a new survey that’s being conducted in conjunction with it.

The survey is a simple way to gather data on the trends of young adults in order to better implement government resources that cater to them. Though it’s short, the results will offer City Hall a better understanding of young people in the area, as well as a set of data that can be utilized well into the future.

When you have a moment, please click here and take part in our survey. We’d appreciate your input!

And please mark your calendars for the 2011 Youth Engagement Summit, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 27, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at City Hall. We hope to see you there!

Have any thoughts you'd like to share about the YES, or your experiences as a young person living in Greencastle? Post them below.

Thanks!

Successful ArtsFest Draws DePauw and Greencastle Communities Together

2010-11-23T11:22:00.000-05:00
By Gigi Jennewein Fenlon, DePauw Coordinator of Arts Publicity and Marketing Chair of ArtsFest Planning

How do you make a community thrive? Bring in the artists. So say experts on economically viable communities including Richard Florida, best known for his book, The Rise of the Creative Class, and so attempted DePauw University and members of the Greencastle community for a week in November.

For nine years, DePauw University has been offering ArtsFest, a seven-day gathering of writers, artists, thinkers, and performers. Each year's festival is organized around a theme such as borders, or the environment, or Shakespeare. And each year the intent of the organizers - a group that includes me - has been to make all events inclusive of and open to the entire Greencastle community. In 2010, we made that intent particularly obvious with our theme: Art & the Green Castle.

Our mission this year was to have both communities contributing to creating and enjoying the events of ArtsFest. To achieve this we included community members on the ArtsFest planning committee: a Greencastle art teacher, a staff member from the Putnam County Library and the owner of a gallery in town, among others.

This plan proved fruitful. The graphic design for this year's ArtsFest was created by local artist Jennifer Herrold. DePauw professor and poet Joe Heithaus spoke on the painting of his poem about Greencastle on the side of a West Walnut St. barn. The Putnam County Library teamed up with DePauw's Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics to produce "This I Believe" essays. Award-winning blues artist and local resident Tad Robinson headlined the closing night party. The DePauw-originated Greencastle Service Theatre and the Putnam County Museum collaborated on a project involving Greencastle High School students.

If you pressed me, I'd have to say that I'm most pleased with the Greencastle/DePauw collaboration on the Friday night Arts Walk through the Green Castle. For a two-hour period of time that began around 6:30 p.m., local residents and DePauw students, faculty and staff roamed the square to check out the arts. The Low Road Gallery and the GC Galleria were open and students from DePauw professor Cindy O'Dell's photography class were projecting images of Greencastle past and present onto the buildings.

I saw downtown Greencastle differently that night. I felt a sense of vibrancy and possibility. People were excited to be witnessing new ways of looking at their home.

And that excitement is being capitalized on, which couldn't make me happier. The emerging Greencastle Arts Council plans to formally kick off its existence by instituting regular "First Friday" art walks on the square. The group has chosen Friday, February 4 as its launch date, and hopes to unveil a piece of public art created by 5th year DePauw student Travis Lamothe.

I have listened to many friends and neighbors swoon over visits to towns of our size with lively arts scenes. As Greencastle is blessed with many wonderful creative and performing artists, I hope that the direction inspired by DePauw's Art & the Green Castle and the forthcoming efforts of the Greencastle Arts Council will "out" that creativity and make Greencastle similarly worthy of swooning.

What do you think about the role that arts play in the success of our community? Share your comments below.

Greencastle 'three-peats' as Green Community of the Year

2010-10-27T14:47:00.000-04:00
The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) recently announced that Greencastle has received its Green Community of the Year designation for the third consecutive year.

It's what we refer to around these parts as the "three-peat."

We recently blogged about our efforts on the sustainability front following the announcement that Putnam RISE, an initiative of the Greencastle Sustainability Commission, received a $100,000 grant from the Putnam County Community Foundation.

And, the IACT recognition comes on the heels of the National League of Cities' announcement that Greencastle was the 45 finalists for its 2010 Awards for Municipal Excellence, again for our sustainability efforts.

IACT launched its Green Communities initiative to help cities and towns facing budget shortfalls identify potential cost savings, as well as show how communities that operate in a sustainable way do so in a cost-effective manner. The organization asked us to fill out a 51-question survey that covered, among other things, purchasing, operations and sample projects.

While recognition from outside organizations certainly makes a difference, we can look around at the tangible improvements we've made:

- public transportation has become a reality after some 20 years of trying;
- energy-efficient retrofits for city buildings;
- decorative LED street lights in our downtown and the change out of all of our traffic signals to LED lighting;
- ordinances, policies and building codes that protect our ground water, our habitat and our future;
- a growing Farmer's Market and community garden to promote the sale and growing of local food for families and restaurants;
- a robust "Buy Local" campaign in conjunction with the Chamber that supports local businesses and saves energy;
- an expanded curb-side trash program that has stepped up recycling efforts citywide; and
- "move out" days where gently used furniture and good come to the community from DePauw students, rather than adding to the landfill.

While these are just some of the ways we've become "greener" in Greencastle, you can read more about our efforts here. At a time when communities across the state and indeed the nation, are facing a budget crunch, we are doing this at little or no cost to the taxpayers.

What do you think about this latest recognition for our city? What can we do to ensure that we make IACT's Green Communities list next year?

Raking leaves this weekend? Then read this post!

2010-10-26T17:16:00.000-04:00
The City's Department of Public Works will kick off our annual leaf pickup next week. Check out this article in the Banner-Graphic detailing November's pickup schedule.

Putnam RISE: Taking Sustainability to the Next Level

2010-10-12T12:55:00.000-04:00

Representatives of Putnam RISE and the Putnam County Community Foundation pause for a photo at the Putnam County Community Foundation's Envision 2011 grant presentation.

Nearly two years ago, a group of more than 100 citizens representing diverse interests got together to develop environmental solutions to strengthen our community, economy, culture and quality of life.

That gathering turned out to be the origin of the Greencastle Sustainability Commission, and since that time, this new organization has been hard at work. We've developed partnerships that have re-invigorated and expanded our Farmer's Market. We've opened pathways and connector trails throughout the city. Our community garden helps bring fresh produce to food pantries. And, along with Duke Energy, we've engaged community schools in an energy conservation challenge. These are just a few of our accomplishments, but the greatest of all, perhaps, is that we've done all of this at minimal cost to the taxpayers.

Just last week, we received news that will help take the community's sustainability efforts to the next level. The Putnam County Community Foundation awarded a $100,000 Envision 2011 grant to Putnam RISE (Renewal, Investment, Savings and Efficiency), an initiative of the Sustainability Commission. The Vectren Foundation joined in as well, providing an additional $25,000 grant.

So, what does Putnam RISE plan to accomplish?

Putnam RISE will educate the county's citizens about ways to become more energy efficient. It also will stimulate the local economy through energy efficiency investments in schools, neighborhoods and homes. In addition, the group seeks to produce double digit increases in energy consumption in Putnam County school facilities; secure energy savings through cash incentives for resource-challenged schools; obtain more than 2,000 home energy savings pledges; provide 100 residential energy audits; conduct a "Green Home Makeover" program that will select one low-income household to receive $15,000 in energy efficiency upgrades; and weatherize 21 homes.

It's a pretty ambitious agenda.

But let me share with you who's a part of Putnam RISE, and you'll understand why this initiative has the potential to become a national model for sustainability: North Putnam Community School Corporation, South Putnam Community School Corporation, Cloverdale Community School Corporation, Greencastle Community School Corporation, City of Greencastle Commission on Sustainability, Greencastle Chamber of Commerce, Greencastle Presbyterian Church, Greencastle Civic League, Shuee & Sons Great Buys Plus, The Window Place, Smiley's Heating & Air-Conditioning, and Insulation Supply Co.

Clearly, this is a long list of partners, and it gets to the heart of what sets Greencastle - and Putnam County, for that matter - apart from other communities our size. It's what I like to call the "Greencastle Effect," where we channel our energy and optimism into meaningful contributions that will ultimately impact future generations.

There's no doubt we live in tough times. But with initiatives like Putnam RISE, supporters like the Putnam County Community Foundation and Vectren, we have an opportunity before us to weather these difficult times, and move our community forward - together.

Mayor Sue Murray

Volunteers Help Complete Trail Project

2010-10-07T14:24:00.000-04:00

Did you catch the article in today's Banner-Graphic about the completion of our new trail? Check out our Facebook page for more behind-the-scenes photos of DePauw students and community members who helped with seeding and hay to finish the project.

Third Ward Meeting - September 29

2010-09-27T16:13:00.000-04:00
On Wednesday, September 29, I hope you will join the residents of the Third Ward for a lively and productive meeting about our neighborhood. While we will discuss city services and the needs of our community members, one of the top items on our agenda is the request from DePauw University to change the traffic flow on Anderson Street into the campus.

As many of you may know, DePauw University is in the process of putting together a long-term strategic plan. President Brian Casey recently briefed the community on the specifics, which include constructing a formal entrance on Anderson Street leading from the east off U.S. 231. This gateway into the campus is the primary reason for DePauw's request to change Anderson from a one-way street to a two-way street. You can read more about President Casey's presentation here: http://www.bannergraphic.com/story/1659586.html.

I hope you'll set aside time to join me, Mayor Murray, city officials and our neighbors at the Greencastle Middle School at 6:30 p.m. for a thoughtful and meaningful discussion about our community.

Sincerely,

Jinsie Bingham
Third Ward Councilor

Park Your Bike in Downtown Greencastle!

2010-09-09T16:45:00.001-04:00

Pictured from the front: Crystal Stonebraker, Cathryn Ensley and Suzanne Masten representing the Greencastle Civic League; Karla Lawless, director of the Putnam County Convention and Visitors' Bureau; and David Bault and Ricky Long from the Greencastle Department of Public Works, who installed the racks.

People who travel in Greencastle on bicycles no longer have to protect their bikes by chaining them to trees, benches or lamp posts when they stop to shop, eat or go to the post office.

Because of the generous contributions of the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Greencastle Civic League and the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission, these new green bike racks are conveniently located throughout downtown Greencastle.

We are most grateful for the continuing investment of these civic groups in our community. Once again I am reminded how very special this place we call home is.

Mayor Sue Murray

2010-09-01T15:50:00.000-04:00
THANK YOU.

As we push toward the end of our 2010 road improvement projects, I would like to thank all whose homes and businesses have been inconvenienced along the way. Once the bids are received and contracts signed for road projects, the work usually moves fairly quickly. Unfortunately, this year we had some more extensive drainage and curb work on Indianapolis Rd. that turned the usual days of inconvenience into several weeks.

My sincere thanks to our citizens for their patience. There are always more roads in need of our attention, but I hope you find this year’s efforts a significant improvement.

Mayor Sue Murray

Campus Community Planning Forum

2010-08-23T21:45:00.000-04:00
On Wednesday, August 25, at 7 p.m., City Hall's doors will be open to members of the community who would like to learn more about DePauw University’s plans to re-envision their campus spaces and strengthen the connections between the campus and the greater Greencastle community.

Dr. Brian Casey, DePauw’s president, will join me in what’s to be the first Campus Community Planning Forum that I can remember. We know that the success of DePauw University and the success of Greencastle are mutually beneficial. Our ability to work together is imperative. I hope our citizens will take this opportunity to attend the meeting and add their voices to this most dynamic conversation.

See you there!

Mayor Sue Murray

Second Ward Meeting - August 19

2010-08-11T11:12:00.000-04:00
On Thursday, August 19th at 6:30 p.m. at Deer Meadow School, Mayor Sue Murray, City Planner Shannon Norman and I will host the annual Second Ward Neighborhood Meeting to discuss some of the projects that have occurred and that are ongoing in the ward. This includes the work currently being done on the Albin Pond/Safe Routes to School pathway project, recent paving done in and around the area, and Albin Pond Dam improvements. We'll also provide an update of the needs and projects that were addressed at last year's inaugural meeting.

While we want to update you on these projects and accomplishments, one of the main purposes of this meeting is to listen to residents' concerns, problems, and questions, so that we can formulate a list of things that need to be done in the ward over the coming weeks and months. This is best accomplished by listening to you, the residents of the Second Ward, so please come prepared to present any issues, so we can try to address those and bring some resolution to them. All residents of the Second Ward are invited and encouraged to attend.

Hope to see you on August 19th at Deer Meadow School at 6:30 p.m.

Mark Hammer
Second Ward City Councilman

Four-Way Stops Aren't So Easy

2010-08-06T16:53:00.000-04:00
Four-way stops aren't so easy.

Earlier this week, in an attempt to make the intersection of Percy Julian Drive and Veterans' Highway safer, the Indiana Department of Transportation installed stop signs on the highway. This was done in recognition of ongoing safety problems in the intersection.

The City of Greencastle has been asking for a traffic light for several years, but apparently we don't meet the "required" traffic counts. As a result, we now have a four-way stop. Our children and the intersection are safer, but patience is needed, especially at heavy traffic times as we all learn to make our way through the stop.

Thank you for your patience.

Mayor Sue Murray

Summer Paving and Sidewalk Projects

2010-08-02T22:04:00.000-04:00
Every year, to the best of our ability, we try to repair roads, sidewalks that have trip hazards, and make more of our corners ADA-compliant. This year is no exception. Resources are scarce, but we will be moving forward on some projects. Our Public Works Department works with our city engineer throughout the year to develop the priority lists. We then go out for bids on the identified projects and proceed with what we are able to pay for.

In the coming weeks, work will be done on sections of sidewalk in all four of our wards. Road milling and resurfacing will be done on parts of Indianapolis Road, Shadowlawn, Arlington, Seminary, College Street, Jackson and Highland. There are already signs up for next summer's big road project, Percy Julian Drive.

I know that this kind of work can cause delays and inconveniences, at times. Hopefully, you will find the improvements worth any frustration. Thank you, in advance, for your patience.

Mayor Sue Murray

Fun at the Fair

2010-07-23T17:01:00.001-04:00
It's that time of year again! The Putnam County 4-H Fair is in full swing, featuring a number of family-friendly activities. We hope you'll set aside time this week to visit the fair, and enjoy all it has to offer. Visit http://www.putnamcountyfair.net/ for more information.

A Note on Comments: How to Comment on Our Community Forward Blog

2010-07-12T14:41:00.000-04:00
Here at the Community Forward blog, we welcome your comments and input. We've recently received feedback that a tutorial on the ins and outs of commenting would be helpful, so below are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

1) To leave a comment, click on the comment tab at the end of a blog post.

2) You'll have the option of which profile you'd like to use to post your comment. If you do have a blog or an ID on one of the platforms listed, such as Google, LiveJournal, WordPress, etc., you can use it.

3) If you don't have a blog or an ID on the platforms listed above, you can just select Name/URL or Anonymous. You'll be prompted to leave your name, and an email or web address, if you like. Your comment will still post even if you don't enter your email address. You also have the option of selecting Anonymous.

4) Once you enter your post, you'll be prompted to enter a series of letters and numbers. This security code is an extra precaution against potential attacks from spammers.

As with all comments, we hope you'll keep them constructive and thoughtful. And if you are in need of immediate city services, please contact the City offices at (765) 653-3100.

Fourth of July Festivities

2010-06-30T12:54:00.000-04:00
With the Fourth of July days away, make sure you set aside time to stop by Robe-Ann Park for our annual celebration! There's something for everyone, from the Police Department's Crush-a-Car, to music, to activities for the kids, and a dog fashion show. The event ends with our spectacular fireworks display at dusk on Sunday.

To learn more about our annual celebration on July 3rd and 4th, please visit the City of Greencastle's website. And don't forget to Meet at the Market on Saturday morning at the Square for a fresh array of seasonal fruits, vegetables and other homemade items.

Have a wonderful - and safe - Fourth of July!

First Ward Meeting - June 22

2010-06-18T17:20:00.000-04:00
A year ago, the first ward kicked off a great new Greencastle tradition with a community meeting at the fire station. On Tuesday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m., I hope you will join us once again at the fire station to talk with city officials about your concerns and dreams for our community.

As your councilman it is my job to listen and work for you. That's why we worked hard to find solutions to address the questions and concerns you raised at our meeting last year. These solutions are designed with your input in mind so we can best meet the needs of both the community and individual residents.

What makes our community so special is that everyone is willing to work together to make it a better place to live and work. I hope you'll join me, Mayor Murray, city officials and your fellow residents for a productive discussion about how local government can better serve each resident of the first ward. These community meetings will take place in other wards in the coming months, as part of our ongoing effort to meaningfully connect with all our residents.

If you cannot attend the meeting on June 22 and have ideas you want to share - or if I can ever be of assistance - please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Adam Cohen
765/721-3168 (cell)
cohenadam79@yahoo.com

Moving our Community Forward

2010-06-11T16:29:00.000-04:00
On behalf of the City of Greencastle, welcome to our Community Forward blog. It's an opportunity for us to give residents and friends of our community updates about our vibrant city. It also provides an inside look at many of the initiatives that set Greencastle apart from other cities of our size.

There are numerous elements that encourage a city to grow and thrive. From good schools, to employment opportunities, to parks and city services, our community has distinguished itself as one where people come together to make life better for those who call Greencastle home. We take community service and civic engagement seriously, which is why you'll find a robust Buy Local campaign, as well as a Sustainability Commission, a Youth Engagement Initiative, and a community garden grown from the seeds of an old parking lot.

It's the creativity and energy of our citizens that makes serving as Mayor such an honor and a privilege. I hope you'll check our blog often for updates to learn more about how we are collectively moving our Community Forward. I also encourage you to comment on our posts, and send ideas our way about what you'd like to see here.

Thank you!

Mayor Sue Murray