By Miles Flynn | Southern Indiana Business Report
JASPER — The voters have had their say in the 2022 Strongest Town contest, and Jasper took the top spot nationally. In the final round, Jasper picked up 51.3% of the vote. Its challenger, Norwood, Ohio, received 48.7%.
“The Jasper Team made a deep impression round after round, including getting past powerhouse Champaign, Illinois, in the Elite Eight with a two-percentage-point margin,” the sponsoring civic advocacy group Strong Towns shared on its website April 8. “One of the town’s great strengths was its decision to form the Heart of Jasper, a diverse group of organizations that leverages existing assets, transforms those in need, and instills new energy through creative programs and collaborative leadership. The town is always careful to listen to its residents and to build community engagement, but also minds its financial health with its solid Impact Jasper community investment plan.”
An initial community celebration is planned for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, during the Downtown Chowdown event. Charles Marohn, author and founder of the sponsoring Strong Towns civic advocacy organization, will be visiting Jasper in the coming months to present the Strongest Town 2022 Championship Award in person.
“I am extremely proud of our community and how competitive it is,” Mayor Dean Vonderheide told Southern Indiana Business Report. “It’s evident in everything we do. Our residents made this happen with or without my assistance. I am thankful for the planning that takes place to prepare for the future.”
Vonderheide went on to cite the same Impact Jasper effort mentioned by the Strong Towns team, and the comprehensive planning behind it, as a big reason he believes Jasper came out on top in the competition.
Vonderheide also extended his thanks to Mark Nowotarski, the local resident who nominated Jasper for the contest in the first place. “Mark is a valued partner in our community who recognized the city for what it provides: a quality of life for its residents,” Vonderheide concluded.
Nowotarski called the win “amazing” and added, “I would say everyone involved feels proud about the community and the victory.”
However, he said he was always confident in Jasper’s chances. Nowotarski explained that he nominated Jasper because he always believed the city embodies the Strong Towns approach of collaboration and incremental improvement adding up to big results. “I felt Jasper fit very well, and that is why I nominated the city,” he related. “What I learned with the other 15 cities in the competition is that they all were deserving to be in the contest, and they all have done some amazing things and, in some cases, have overcome some significant challenges. But with that being said, I always felt we could finish on top, so I wasn’t overly surprised when I got the call.”
Now, community leaders hope the additional notoriety will help introduce more people to what makes Jasper special. “It is the national recognition we will get to promote our town as a great place to live, work, raise a family and share everything we have to offer,” Nowotarski said. “We want to use it to encourage people to not only visit Jasper but to consider it as a place they may want to move to and live.”