Officials Brief Public in 2022 State of the City and Schools Address

By Kris Norton

Jasper – Tuesday, school and city officials met to brief the public on the current state of Jasper schools and city offices at the Vincennes University Jasper Campus.

Jasper Mayor Dean Vonderheide and Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools Superintendent Dr. Tracy Lorey took to the podium in the CTIM auditorium.

With 2021 in the books, Mayor Vonderheide says that there is plenty to look forward to in 2022.

“During COVID, we didn’t sit still, we continued planning for the future and knew that eventually, one of these days, we’re going to be out of this,” Vonderheide said. “In the meantime we’re still growing, we’re a growing community. There’s new demands, there’s needs, and we’ve got to be prepared to provide those as a municipality.

Among the list of improvements on the horizon for 2022: the downtown revitalization project. During his time on the stage, Vonderheide shared that the project is currently accepting bids and is hopeful to select a bid in early March.

Also on the docket for 2022 will be the addition of 18 townhouses for the old library block. The Redevelopment Commission awarded a housing development project to a private contractor. Housing, in general, is one of the largest issues that Vonderheide has identified, though he believes that Jasper is moving in the right direction. The city issued 169 building permits in 2021, while Vonderheide hinted that more are in the works and have yet to be made public.

The list of 2022 projects includes the 3rd Avenue water main project, the arrival of a new fire truck, a city server upgrade, and road repairs. Vonderheide also touted a sidewalk extension along Newton Street from 30th to 36th Streets.

In Dr. Lorey's address, she began by updating the public on the current demographics of the school district. Of the 3,214 total enrollment in the district, 35.7% are "economically disadvantaged", 8.1% are ESL learners, and 14.5% of students have disabilities. The district employs 227 full-time employees, 72.1% of whom have over 10 years of experience, making between $42,000 and $79,750 annually.

In the previous school year, the district boasted a graduation rate of over 92%, 49% of whom received a Core 40 Academic or Technical degree.

Current or future projects include: Ireland Elementary classroom expansion and remodel with security upgrades, a four-classroom expansion for Jasper Elementary, a remodeled Career and Technical Education Department at Jasper High School, and outdoor athletic and facility improvements for the Jasper High School Sports Complex, Alumni Stadium and Ruxer Field.