Last Updated on May 21, 2019 by cassnetwork
Since 2016, Logansport Mayor Dave Kitchell has shared updates from the city in a monthly column on Cass County Online.
Dave Kitchell
As a few local residents have related to me, when you ask Google Home what the weather is like here, it calls us something different than Logansport.
It’s “Loganspurt.”
That’s “spurt” as in growth spurt, which is probably an apt Freudian slip by the computerized service that has just about every answer to any question.
There continues to be anecdotal signs that Logansport is growing. One is the ongoing daytime population count monitored by a branch of the Census Bureau. It reports our population has risen from 20,000 to 23,000 during normal work days. Estimates of our hard-and-fast permanent residents have gone up from 17,700 at the beginning of 2016 to about 18,300 according to more recent estimates.
Construction figures through April indicate total construction projects are up 22 percent over the same period last year. Permits are up 19 percent over that time. While we have a number of new homes being built through the ReVere Homes project, many permits for it have yet to be issued.
Recently, I met with a U.S. Census Bureau official working with northern Indiana communities to ensure an accurate count when the decennial census is taken next year. Doing preliminary work to be certain every citizen is counted next year is one of my “19 for 2019” goals I announced in January at the State of the City/County Luncheon.
Based on the demand for housing we’ve witnessed in many areas, we can expect our population to be up from 2016, but only if every resident wants to be counted. Computerization will make that job easier for residents next year, but it’s important to note that much of our local funding for services such as Head Start is linked to gathering accurate data for the census. We have to do better than voter turnout. We have to make everyone count from nursing homes to the Cass Count Jail and the last house at the edge of the city in every direction.
Logansport loses more than 25 percent of its General Fund annually to the state’s property tax cap known as “circuit-breaker.” We can’t afford to lose even more funding we should qualify for from the federal government.
In the coming months, more will be forthcoming on how we all can work together to ensure our numbers are accurate. A committee will be appointed to follow-up with community education efforts. Now, the Census, which is administered through the U.S. Department of Commerce, is already looking for qualified employees who can be temporary employees for much of the next year.
Together, we can do our part to make Logansport a place where people count, figuratively and literally..
It’s a privilege to serve you as your mayor. If you have a problem, a concern, a question or a complaint, don’t hesitate to reach out to our office at 753-2551, or via e-mail at dkitchell@cityoflogansport.org.