Why live in Connersville??!!??

Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to speak a few moments with a sharp young professional that asked me a rather pointed question. It wasn't that I had not heard the question before, it was simply the way he phrased it that made me stop a second and ponder an answer. He started by saying, "you know Mayor, I know that both your son and daughter and their spouses live out of Connersville. They are like a lot of people that were born and raised in Connersville and decided not to return home after college." Then came the question I have been asked many times before. "I have a degree, my wife has a degree and I ask myself, why should we live in Connersville"?

I thought about the answer to that question the rest of the day. And I have to admit, there is no "one size fits all" answer. Everyone living in Connersville is here for reasons that are as unique as each individual. Some are here to be close to family and relatives. Some are here because it's a safe place to raise a family. Some are here because the have invested in a home, or perhaps started a business. Everyone of us are here because we have choosen to be here rather then somewhere else. No one forces us to stay, we stay because we choose too.

When the young man asked me the question, it was as if he was looking for a legitimate reason to be here rather then an answer to why he stayed here. I am sure my answer wasn't really sufficient, but being a polite fellow he smiled, we finished our conversation and he left with the item he came to barrow for a few days.

Connersville is a comfortable community. And the facts are, even with all its percieved problems such as high property taxes, high utilities and high home costs, we still rank one of the lowest in the state for utilities and home costs are still a good value. Oh, the doomsdayers like to quote that the forclosure rate is the highest in the state and that there are an unprecidented number of houses for sale. But the facts just don't bare that out. I recently talked to several realators and they are setting record home sales for January and February 2007.

Personally, I'm here because I love this community. My wife and I could live about anywhere, and we choose to stay here. I have family here, and I raised my kids in a safe enviornment and built a successful business here. When I think of home, Connersville is what I see in my minds eye.

Only you can say why you stay, and maybe we need to ask ourselves that very question, "why do I stay here"? I'll bet if we compare our little city to others there are lots of good reasons we stay here. And if it is worth staying here, perhaps its worth being positive about and fighting for to make it even better?