Nestled in the rolling hills and wooded forests of Southern Indiana is Jasper, a town with a budding population of about 17,000. In 2022, Jasper won the annual Strongest Town contest for their dedication to community fiscal strength and unique collaboration between government departments and local entities. Through conscious and deliberate collaboration, with a daily focus on a city-wide comprehensive plan, the city of Jasper is a place where “things get done.”
When the city of Jasper makes a plan, they actually carry out that plan.
Their 10-year comprehensive plan, called Impact Jasper, is in the hands of city employees every day. With it, they balance priorities against their budget to assure fiscal responsibility.
The document is a central force to the town’s unique ability to collaborate between city departments and outside entities. It’s used not only by the municipality, but by local nonprofits, as well.
Jasper has discovered that when a master plan acts as an active guide for the city and local groups, ideas will come to fruition.
“What you’ll find is that, within five years, so much will get accomplished because people are actually using the plan,” said Jasper’s Chamber of Commerce Director Nancy Eckerle. “You’ll have to keep redoing [the plan] more often. And things won’t sit there waiting for 10 years in order to get accomplished.”
Jasper aims to be financially prosperous. They do this by conserving what they have, and building upon what’s already there.
Here are three examples:
So often, a city’s inner workings are hidden from public view. But not in Jasper.
They take specific care to engage locals with decision-making. Through surveys and events, they make sure to get the word out.
And, most uniquely, the mayor has started a Youth Council, where teenagers work with the local government to determine city projects (like repairing a bridge, or painting a mural).
Once the project is decided, the Youth Council jumps into action—and just like that, Jasper is a city built by many hands.