Bargersville kicked off a new tradition Friday with its first State of the Town address — albeit virtual.
Town Manager Julie Young, Police Chief Todd Bertram and Utilities Manager Kevin Killinger spoke to residents in a pre-recorded message that was posted to YouTube Friday afternoon. It was initially supposed to be in an in-person event, but was scaled back.
“We are growing as a town and a community. The addition of this address to our annual event list is part of that growth. We wanted to take a few minutes to share some highlights of the last year, and what we will be doing this year to continue advancing the town,” Young said.
Achievements last year included fixing roads, growing housing and starting construction on two long-planned, multi-million-dollar projects: a new police station and Kephart Park, she said.
Construction of the $3.6 million Bargersville police station is expected to be completed by summer or fall of this year. The building at Whiteland and Morgantown roads will be the town’s first police station designed specifically for police work. When it is complete, residents will have a more inviting environment to report crimes, and officers will have specially designed spaces that meet the technology and security needs of modern police work, Bertram said.
“We all need to be proud of how our department is keeping up with the growth and doing our very best to stay ahead of the curve … so we are not playing catch-up,” he said.
Johnson County’s fastest-growing town issued 241 new single-family home permits in 2021. Hundreds more are on the way this year, with more new neighborhoods in development, and approved neighborhoods under construction, Young said.
The town leveraged about $1 million in funding from the state’s Community Crossings matching grant program to complete road work on neighborhood streets, and improvements on Baldwin and South streets. In conjunction with the county, Whiteland Road improvements were also completed, she said.
Town utilities grew to serve more than 15,000 customers across several lines of service, including town residents and some residents in Greenwood, Whiteland and unincorporated areas. During the last year, the utilities expanded to meet the town’s growth and modernized customer service, Killinger said.
The town launched a mobile application dubbed My Bargersville, on which residents can keep track of events, learn more about services and pay utility bills. The town also welcomed several new businesses in 2021, including Our Table American Bistro, Energy Oasis and Centurion Arms.
All of that growth has put the town in a strong financial position, Young said.
“Our focus is on fiscal responsibility while still growing and providing amenities for residents and visitors,” she said. “The town ended 2021 with a budget surplus. Assessed values for homes and other properties grew at a rate of 12.75% last year.”
This year is set to be another year of growth for projects big and small. Interstate 69 construction has reached the town, and officials are preparing for the growth that will bring. The police station is expected to be open to the public in late summer or early fall, Young said.
The next major phase of Kephart Park on County Road 144 will begin this summer. The 18-acre park will cost $4 to $5 million to complete over the next several years, with $2.5 million to be invested from this year’s budget. The next phase of the park will include a splash pad, pickleball courts, two shelter houses and trail connections, she said.
Town officials are also working on the design of a new downtown park, and plan to build a new trail this year that will connect Kephart Park to Schwitzer Park, Young said.
“This is an exciting time to be leading the town of Bargersville,” she said. “The businesses, neighborhoods and community amenities added throughout the next five to 10 years will set a foundation for Bargersville for decades to come. We are proud to be able to expand our public offerings to residents and will continue being a strong community partner for businesses both new and established.”
