Mayor Spotlights . . .

McNish Keeps Focus on Infrastructure, Future of Marshfield

Four terms in, Mayor Natalie McNish still talks about the job like there’s plenty left to do.

And there is.

McNish said the goal hasn’t really changed over the years. Take care of what the city already has. Be smart about what comes next. And don’t forget where Marshfield came from along the way.

“If you don’t know where you’ve been, you can’t know where you’re going,” she said.

That mindset shows up in just about every corner of the city right now.

Some of the work is easy to see. Some of it isn’t.

Out at the cemetery, for example, plans are moving forward for something new. A niche structure for cremation memorials. It’s being built in an area where traditional plots haven’t worked well because of water issues. At the same time, the city is preparing for future expansion, mapping out roads and drainage before opening up new burial spaces.

It’s a small detail to some. But it’s part of a bigger picture. Planning ahead.

The same goes for parks.

There’s been talk for a while about an activity center at Patriot Park. The drawings are done. The plans are there. But right now, the numbers just don’t add up. McNish said the city would be short about $250,000 a year to operate it.

So, for now, that project is on hold.

In the meantime, other things are moving forward. Pickleball courts are on the way. There’s also ongoing work with a local group pushing for action sports, like a skate park. Nothing final there yet, but it’s in the conversation.

“We’re always looking at what our community needs,” McNish said.

Public safety has also been a focus.

A voter-approved sales tax has allowed the city to add officers, improve training, and upgrade equipment. That includes new vehicles and, soon, a new tool — a drone.

The department is in the process of getting certified to use it. McNish said it could help in situations like missing persons or searches where time matters.

“It just gives us another way to respond,” she said.

Behind the scenes, a lot is happening with water and sewer. The kind of work most people don’t think about unless something goes wrong.

Marshfield has already added a new water tower in recent years and updated another. Two more still need work, and that’s coming. There’s also talk of adding another well as the city continues to grow.

On the sewer side, crews are dealing with aging pipes. Some date back decades. Cracks, roots and wear all cause problems over time, letting rainwater seep in and strain the system.

Crews are working section by section, using cameras to find trouble spots and replace what they can.

There’s also a major project tied to the Interstate 44 corridor. Sewer lines have been extended out near mile marker 103, and upgrades are underway at the treatment plant. It’s the kind of project that helps support future growth while keeping things running smoothly now.

All of it adds up to a city that’s trying to stay ahead of itself.

McNish knows growth is coming. The challenge is making sure Marshfield keeps its footing as it does.

That means balancing new development with the basics. Roads. Water. Safety. Quality of life.

Nothing fancy. Just steady work.

And for a mayor heading into another term, that seems to be exactly the point.

Jack Cole Navigates Rogersville’s Rapid Growth

Jack Cole has been around city government long enough to see just about everything. And if you talk with him for a few minutes, that becomes pretty clear.

He first got involved back in the late 1990s, serving as an alderman before stepping into the mayor’s role in 2002. He stayed there for years, right up until 2018, when life pulled him in a different direction.

That year hit hard. Cole said his family lost three members, and he dealt with some health issues of his own. It was time to step away.

“I thought I was done,” he said.

But that didn’t last long.

A couple of years later, he was asked to come back and help. He ran for a one-year term as alderman and won. Not just won, either. He said he picked up about 75 percent of the vote, which told him people still remembered.

Before long, he was back in a familiar spot. He became president of the board, and when the sitting mayor decided not to run again, Cole’s name ended up back on the ballot. No opposition then. None this time around either.

Now, he’s back in the job, looking at a city that’s growing fast.

Really fast.

Rogersville has seen a surge in recent years, with population climbing sharply and more homes on the way. Cole said there could be around 500 more houses built in the near future.

That kind of growth brings opportunity. It also brings pressure.

“The biggest thing is managing it,” Cole said. “Making sure we keep the services and quality of life people expect.”

That means keeping up with roads, utilities and public safety. It also means keeping an eye on the city’s finances, which rely heavily on sales tax.

Cole figures about 80 percent of the city’s revenue comes from sales tax. So while the rooftops are coming, the next step is bringing in more retail to support it.

“For years, we were told we needed more housetops,” he said. “We’re getting those now.”

There are signs that more business is on the way. Cole said that’s something the city will keep working toward.

At the same time, there are other projects on the horizon. One that stands out is the possibility of a large new park. Nothing final yet, but it’s something he’s watching closely.

Parks have already been a focus. The city opened a new splash pad recently and has continued making improvements. Cole said he’d like to see that keep going, maybe even expand.

Through it all, he keeps coming back to the same point. Growth has to be handled carefully.

It helps, he said, to have the right people around you.

Cole praised the city’s Board of Aldermen, calling them professional and focused on doing what’s best for the community. He also pointed to strong partnerships with the local school district and the fire protection district.

That kind of teamwork matters, especially as the city grows.

Financially, the city has stayed in a solid spot. Cole noted the city has earned clean audits year after year and holds a strong bond rating, which helps when it comes to borrowing and planning ahead.

There are still challenges. Stormwater projects are ongoing, and the area’s hills and valleys don’t make it easy. And then there’s location.

Being just minutes from Springfield is both a blessing and a challenge. It draws people in, but it also gives them an easy reason to shop somewhere else.

Still, Cole believes things will balance out over time.

As the population grows, he expects more businesses to follow.

For now, the focus is steady.

Keep up with the growth. Take care of the basics. And make sure Rogersville stays the kind of place people want to call home.

Familiar Face, New Role: Sturdefant Leads Seymour

 For Mark Sturdefant, stepping into the mayor’s office feels a little like coming home.

Not that he ever really left.

Sturdefant, who was recently elected mayor of Seymour, has been part of the community most of his life. Years ago, he served as South Ward alderman through the 1990s into the early 2000s. Then life shifted. Business picked up. His two boys were growing up, playing ball, keeping him busy.

So he stepped away from the city government for a while.

Now he’s back.

“I just got to the point where I thought I’d like to get back into it,” Sturdefant said.

And the timing worked out. He ran for mayor and won, stepping into the role with a familiar but fresh perspective.

His early take on the city is simple.

“Seymour’s in pretty good shape,” he said.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t work to do.

Like a lot of towns, infrastructure sits at the top of the list. Sturdefant said one of the biggest concerns he hears — and sees — is water. Not drinking water, but stormwater.

Getting it out of town.

“Everybody deals with it,” he said. “Trying to keep from flooding.”

It’s not a flashy issue, but it’s one that touches a lot of people, especially during heavy rains. It’s also something he expects to spend time learning more about as he settles into the job.

There are other moving pieces, too.

Seymour’s Amish community, which Sturdefant estimates at around 6,000 people, plays a big role in the area. That brings its own set of needs, especially when it comes to roads and safety.

There’s also a discussion around a possible second overpass in town. It’s still early, and Sturdefant didn’t want to get ahead of the process, but it’s something being talked about as the city looks ahead.

Housing is another topic that keeps coming up.

New homes are being built, and they’re selling quickly. That’s a good sign for growth. But rentals are harder to come by.

“I see people all the time looking for places to rent,” he said.

The city recently approved plans for about 10 new homes in a subdivision. Whether those turn into rentals or not is still to be seen, but Sturdefant said it’s an area he’d like to better understand.

On the business side, there aren’t any major announcements just yet. He said that’s something he plans to work through with the board of aldermen and city staff before setting a direction.

For now, the focus is on listening.

Sturdefant said most people he talks to are generally happy with how things are going. There are the usual concerns — streets, upkeep, day-to-day issues — but nothing out of the ordinary.

The city already has a paving plan in place, working through improvements as funding allows. Like everywhere else, rising costs make that a challenge.

Still, the approach seems steady.

Learn the role. Work with the board. Keep an eye on the basics.