City residents gathered at the old Huntingburg City Hall for a “Muffins with the Mayor” community event, where Mayor Neil Elkins shared updates on a wide range of ongoing projects and city improvements. Mayor Elkins says he enjoys the laid back nature of these events.

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A major focus of the discussion involved infrastructure. Mayor Elkins explained that while some projects are taking longer, it’s to ensure streets aren’t torn up multiple times for overlapping repairs, like water line work. Walnut, Clay, Chestnut, Jackson, and 2nd Streets are all undergoing significant updates. Plans for 4th Street are also being revised after the original final design raised concerns over lost parking. The mayor noted the city is seeking outside funding to help offset local costs, emphasizing not all work has to come from local tax dollars.

Elkins also praised Jasper’s emergency services for their fast response times and shared how other mayors often look to Dubois County as an example. Infrastructure concerns remain high on the priority list, with more paving and lead line replacement projects expected to ramp up later this year and into 2025. So far, 17 lead lines have been replaced out of a few thousand identified.

In other updates, a mural planned for the 4th Street area is moving forward, with filming to take place in July. Local artist Kaicy Jackson and “Art of Casey” are involved in the effort.

Personnel changes were also addressed. Jace Merkel is set to take over as Parks Superintendent from Dale Payne, who was recognized for his years of service. Merkel is currently undergoing training before the transition is finalized.

Public safety concerns were raised as well, particularly regarding the speed of e-bikes and lack of helmet use by children. Although there are no local ordinances in place, Chief Brad Kramer expressed a willingness to explore public education efforts, possibly even training classes.

On the senior center project, progress is about a month ahead of schedule, with a tentative completion by late October—pending arrival of materials for the kitchen and deck.

Only about 15 residents attended the event, which also included members of the local Chamber of Commerce. Despite the small crowd, the mayor described the morning as a success and describes what he would like the see in the future conversations with the public.

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