Carmel, IN Mayor Jim Brainard is Carmel’s first six-term mayor. Under his tenure, Carmel has experienced tremendous growth and prosperity. It is considered one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. The population has grown from 25,000 to almost 80,000 in the last 12 years. Park land, greenspace, and trails have increased from 40 acres to more than 800, including the Monon Trail and Central Park. The creation of a new downtown and the Arts & Design District has breathed new life into forgotten areas of the city. All of these improvements have given the citizens of Carmel increased opportunities for recreation and cultural activities.
Successful Cities Are Built Around Solid Infrastructure
The Romans built roads throughout their empire because they realized it was critical to be able to move goods, commerce, and people around quickly and efficiently. That’s why they were successful. If we want to be successful and competitive as a nation today, we need to be able to move goods, we need to be able to move people efficiently and quickly throughout the country.
Success Story: Carmel, Indiana
Why we’ve grown so quickly is we’ve built the infrastructure in the ground that we need before we have a problem. It’s allowed us to become one of the most competitive cities in the country, and people here, it’s in their DNA that infrastructure is important.
Stimulating the Economy with Infra Investment
…To those folks that suggest that we can’t afford infrastructure, what more basic function of government is there than to make sure people can get from place to place, and commerce can get from place to place? If we don’t do that, the economy is never going to get better.
Local Government Taking Action
Our system is one that’s supposed to involve citizens. That’s why we’re a republic. We need to listen to the professionals as to how best to do something, but at the same time the citizens need to challenge those professionals and engineers and architects and builders to do a better job with their infrastructure, to make sure it works both at the local level and at the federal level.
Download full transcript (PDF): James Brainard on The Infra Blog
Tags: Carmel, IN, Indiana, James Brainard, Jim Brainard
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You do realize this man has not spent any appreciable dollars on maintaining the city infrastructure over at least 4 years, right? You do realize that the city has over $1 Billion of debt, and a population of 85K, right?
Does that shout infrastructure or a politician saying suave things?
Bob, I am happily celebrating ten years in Indiana today. I do appreciate everything Carmel is after 20 years of trying to make things happen in Orange County,NY. I suggest we have great public servants, services, infrastructure and health facilities that are world class. Consider the vision & garden we live in today because others planned and persevered. Sure the Performing Arts and Keystone Parkway cost money, well spent in my humble opinion for our common good.
Good, ongoing growth, right down to the rent-a-bike infrastructure ! Gosh, let me take you to Chicago or NYC. Or enjoy many of those metro area experiences right here today. Please try parking near Lincoln Center in NYC and tell me how it is better than our local CPAC events, okay ? I hope to park my flying car here one day as we enjoy even more of America’s best. We are blessed to have lived here as Brainard voters. Yes, I have observed changes in the people of Carmel: once pleasant, now harried. Once a pristine community, now too much trash. A kind and generous community, with a few cranky complainers demanding more daily. Focus on all the positive & enjoy a life of love today. I invite everyone to litter less,smile more and volunteer right here to grow a greener Carmel in 2015.