Mayor Whitfield lays out 'Live Longer in Lawrence' strategy, highlights reserves, safety gains and major projects

Mayor Deborah Whitfield used her third State of the City address to frame a broad push she called 'Live Longer in Lawrence,' announcing new private and federal funding, reporting improved fiscal reserves and public-safety statistics, and detailing infrastructure and development plans.

"We are turning vision into momentum," Whitfield said, describing a city agenda that couples health, housing and economic development with fiscal discipline. She named Dr. John Kunzer as the city's first chief medical officer and said Lawrence was selected by the National League of Cities for its 2025–2026 Community Health and Wellbeing Accelerator Course.

Whitfield announced a $20,000 anonymous grant from the Charles Schwab Donor Advised Fund to support the Live Longer in Lawrence initiative, including seed support for an Ambassador Program and possible dietitian partnerships with local restaurants. "That's not just a number," she said of the donation. "That's an investment in Lawrence."

Why it matters: The mayor tied public-health goals to other city priorities — housing, planning and green space — and said the city will pursue partnerships and grant opportunities to expand programs without increasing resident costs.

Fiscal and staffing update

Whitfield described a stronger reserve position since the administration took office, saying combined reserves in the general fund and public-safety local income tax have grown by roughly $4.5 million (about a 53% increase) and total approximately $13.1 million, or about 42% of 2025 annual expenses. She said the administration recorded departmental budget savings (including roughly $500,000 in the mayor's office and a similar amount in communications).

At the same time, Whitfield warned of future pressures: "Due to impact of Senate Enrolled Act 1 and incorporating the American Rescue Plan expenses back into our budget, future pressures will be placed on our reserve balance," she said. The mayor announced she is lifting a previously imposed hiring freeze and said the city will "hire smart," prioritizing training and careful staffing decisions.

Public safety and community programs

The mayor credited an array of tactics for improved safety metrics: "In the last year, homicides dropped by over 77%. Vehicle thefts dropped by 34%. Criminal recklessness dropped by 86%," she said. Whitfield also said the police recovered more than 250 firearms.

Whitfield said federal support is helping: she thanked Congressman Andre Carson and noted the city will receive "a little over $1 million" for public-safety efforts tied to a broader $13 million funding initiative. The mayor emphasized community engagement as part of public-safety strategy — citing National Night Out participation, police-led food drives that supported 527 households and over 2,100 individuals (nearly 19,000 lb of food and 9,000 lb of produce), and programs that connect residents to services.

Health and prevention programs

As part of Live Longer in Lawrence, the Crosswalk to Care program referred 66 residents for medical care in 2025 and reported patient satisfaction of five out of five for telehealth nurse navigation in its first year. Whitfield said the city plans to expand Crosswalk to Care and listed public CPR training dates already scheduled.

Infrastructure, utilities and sewer plan

Whitfield highlighted everyday infrastructure work — the city filled more than 1,000 potholes in 2025 and runs active snow‑response operations — before focusing on utilities. She said Lawrence is "fully up to date with federal requirements under the Environmental Protection Agency 2021 Lead and Copper Rule," and has completed an inventory of water service line materials. On sewer capacity, she said a task force produced recommendations and the city's plan under an EPA agreed order includes adding storage containment in areas with infiltration and inflow to reduce strain on the system.

Growth, housing and development

The mayor described several large projects around Fort Ben: the "Benjamin," led by the Keystone Group, is described as an $80 million mixed‑use project with housing, retail and parking; another local investment by Foamcraft is a $6.2 million, nearly 12,000 sq ft retail/commercial project at 56th and Lee Road; and the "Overlook at Fort Ben" first phase is cited at more than $25 million. Whitfield emphasized intentional, equitable growth and said the Fort Harrison Reuse Authority is guiding future development.

On housing, Whitfield said the Housing Ready Task Force — which met weekly for nearly a year and consulted more than 30 experts — produced a report with 40 actionable recommendations. She said the task force will reconvene to prioritize and implement those recommendations.

Sustainability and arts

Whitfield said the city will deploy 10 electric-vehicle chargers at no cost to the city and has developed a fleet roadmap to gradually shift portions of the municipal fleet to electric vehicles. Lawrence was also selected to participate in the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute Urban Green Convergence Cohort; the partnership will inform the city's first urban forest master plan.

The mayor announced the Lawrence Art Commission to support local artists and create an art district, asking commissioners to stand and be recognized.

What comes next

Whitfield closed by emphasizing regional and national engagement — naming CIRDA, IMPO, AIM and the U.S. Conference of Mayors among partners — and said officials will continue to publish program details and consumer‑confidence reports on the city website. She urged residents to take pride in neighborhoods and to participate in city programs.

"Let's keep building. Let's keep believing," Whitfield said in closing.

Ending

The address highlighted a mix of program launches, funding announcements, metrics the administration described as improvements, and several planned or under‑way capital and development projects. The city has signaled next steps include reconvening the housing task force, expanding health programs and continuing infrastructure work under EPA requirements.