Huntingburg Council hears update on Destination Huntingburg’s successful year

Destination Huntingburg presented its annual report to the city council, highlighting a successful year that included raising over $9,000 at its inaugural Derby Day fundraising event and distributing more than $9,000 in food vouchers to community members through the farmers market program.

Devin Springston, president of Destination Huntingburg and a seven-year board member, delivered the presentation showcasing the volunteer organization’s achievements and future plans. She explained the group operates under a four-point approach focusing on organization, promotion, design, and economic vitality within its downtown footprint, from First to Sixth streets along Fourth Street, from Van Buren to Geiger, plus League Stadium.

“Derby Day was our only ticketed event. It is a fundraising event for us and this year was very successful,” Springston said.

The organization’s farmers market program received significant community support through a Purdue Extension grant that provided vouchers for purchasing meat, vegetables, eggs and honey from participating vendors. The voucher program distributed over $9,000 in food to community members, contributing to what organizers describe as one of the market’s most successful seasons.

“We saw more families this year than we’ve ever seen at the farmers market,” Mayor Neil Elkins noted. “It wasn’t just individuals walking in and buying vegetables and leaving. It was people bringing their families.”

Fourth Fridays, the organization’s free downtown event series running from May through August, attracted significant visitor numbers, according to Placer AI tourism data. The four events drew over 2,600 total visitors to Market Street Park, with approximately 200 visitors traveling from more than 50 miles away. Overall, from May through August, Market Street Park recorded 11,600 visitors, including 1,200 from more than 50 miles away.

The October Haunted Huntingburg event drew just over 750 visitors for the single-day celebration, adding to the organization’s annual event portfolio, which includes the farmers market, Ice Rink in December, Farmer’s Table in September, and the Christmas Journey parade.

Destination Huntingburg operates as a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2013 and designated as an Indiana Main Street program by the state’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs in 2014. The organization currently has one open board seat and includes business owners, professionals working in Huntingburg, property owners in the commercial district and city residents.

The group celebrated 10 years of operating Current Blend, the downtown co-working space that merged with Destination Huntingburg in 2020. Other recent achievements include facilitating the city sound system partnership in 2022 and completing the mural project on Highway 231 in 2023.

Looking ahead to 2026, the organization plans to implement a downtown facade program, which Springston acknowledged represents “a big undertaking” requiring collaboration with city officials. The group also aims to develop fundraising opportunities at its free community events, where it currently lacks effective methods for collecting donations from attendees.

The organization will conduct strategic planning in November, followed by an Indiana Main Street Strategic Plan workshop in January to establish goals for the coming year. Additional priorities include continued partnership with the Huntingburg Merchants Association and the development of a sustainability strategic plan.

“You are mostly all volunteer based and so it’s pretty amazing that we have a group that loves our community so much that you’re willing to do that,” Councilwoman Pam Bolte said.

The presentation concluded with recognition of collaborative efforts with Red, White and Braun. It continued partnerships with the Huntingburg Merchants Association for events such as the Daffodil Stroll and Christmas Stroll throughout the year.

The city includes $20,000 in its annual budget to assist the group’s efforts.

Utility Department Updates and Infrastructure Improvements

Energy Superintendent John Reutepohler reported on gas and electric department activities, including the installation of four new gas services and the replacement of 59 gas meters in October with 87% of the meter changeout program completed. The electric department completed five new services, finished Hunter’s Crossing development, and updated metering for Dairy Queen and Venue 1408. A significant infrastructure project involves replacing old wooden poles along Highway 231 with ductile iron poles to improve system reliability as well as in other areas of the city where pole replacements are needed. Reutepohler recommended going with the iron poles for longevity and strength. The council approved purchasing a truckload of ductile iron poles for $89,000 to support these projects and provide a supply of replacement poles for the department.

Water Department Operations and System Maintenance

Water Superintendent Jerry Austin reported substantial progress on large-diameter water meter replacements, with only five meters remaining to complete the system upgrade by year-end. The distribution team completed various maintenance tasks, including repairing a leaking meter shutoff valve on East 4th Street and replacing the final epoxy-coated iron sample station with a stainless-steel one. The department assisted with the First Street concrete project, ensuring proper valve box alignment. They completed fall flushing and ISO audit preparations, with positive expectations for improved ratings that impact both city and homeowner insurance rates. Two employees completed CDL training through the city’s in-house program, saving significant training costs.

Budget Adoption and Public Hearings

The council adopts the 2026 budget ordinance (2025-27) without changes following the required public comment period, which yielded no feedback. The proposed 2026 city budget is $13,532,000. The estimated tax rate is $0.99680 per $100 of assessed value, compared to last year’s rate of $0.9463.

Additionally, they conduct a public hearing and adopt Ordinance 2025-28, approving additional appropriations from the opioid-restricted fund to purchase Lucas devices for emergency medical response. These life-saving devices are specifically appropriate for opioid-related emergencies and overdoses. The Board of Public Works previously approved the purchase, but council approval was required for utilizing the restricted opioid settlement funds. Both measures passed with four affirmative votes and one absence.

Citizen Concerns and Animal Control Issues

Hunters Crossing resident Katrina Cox addressed the council about problems with unleashed dogs in her neighborhood, describing four years of property damage, including 12 replaced fence panels and safety concerns for her children. Despite numerous police calls, the issue persists with inconsistent enforcement of the city’s animal ordinance. The dogs regularly trespass on her property and damage her vinyl fence by aggressively approaching her contained pets. City attorney Phil Schneider explained the ordinance provides escalating fines from $25 to $100, with court costs adding $183 for unpaid citations. The mayor committed to meeting with Cox, the police chief, and the problem neighbor to resolve the enforcement issues and ensure proper application of existing ordinances.