Frankfort is at a crossroads — and for once, the City is doing the responsible thing: planning for the future instead of just reacting to problems. They’re applying for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to create a new comprehensive plan.
This isn’t just bureaucratic busywork. This plan will set the direction for where we build, how we grow, and what kind of city we’re leaving to our kids. The last comprehensive plan is old news. Our population has changed, housing demand has shifted, and infrastructure is under pressure. An updated plan is how we stop patching potholes with duct tape and start thinking ahead.
And here’s the part everyone needs to hear: City leaders are actually asking for public input. They’ve put a binder full of preliminary information in Old Stoney City Hall, they’re launching a community survey soon, and there’s a public hearing scheduled for November 10 at 7 p.m. They are literally handing us the microphone.
So here’s the deal: if you care about downtown development, parks, neighborhoods, housing, public safety — this is your chance to say something that might actually shape the future of Frankfort.
If you can’t be bothered to stop by City Hall, fill out a survey, or show up at the hearing, fine. But don’t sit on Facebook later and gripe about what “they” did. This is how democracy works — you show up, you speak up, and you get a say.
Is this just lip service and the city won’t listen to anything at any cost? I doubt it. But let’s not be so cynical and give it a chance. What can it hurt to participate in a survey or stop by Old Stoney….or come to a public hearing? If nothing is taken into serious consideration, the ballot box comes up every couple years.
This grant is competitive, and if Frankfort wins it, we get state dollars to pay for this planning process instead of draining our local tax base. That’s a win for everyone.
Bottom line: you have a choice. Contribute your ideas now, or keep quiet later when decisions get made without you.