Mayor Mary Ferdon focuses on the ‘possibilities’ of Columbus’ future in State of the City address

Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon’s remarks during her first State of the City address since taking office were centered on one word — “possibility.”

Ferdon spoke in the center of NexusPark: “… a building that just five years ago housed 12 retail establishments, abandoned stores and was used primarily as a walking venue,” Ferdon said. “With the opening of the CRH facility last month, the fieldhouse and fields officially tonight, and the parks/community space in April- we’re seeing that possibilities turn into a reality we didn’t imagine.”

The speech coincided with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Circle K Fieldhouse and McCormick Fields, the latest part of NexusPark to come to fruition.

NexusPark, a joint effort between the city of Columbus and Columbus Regional Health to transform the former FairOaks Mall into a health, wellness and recreation center, will serve as a “catalyst for new businesses” and will lead to a large expansion of the sports tourism industry in the city, Ferdon said.

“The repurpose of this well-used community space will evolve over time and the next generation will create their own possibilities, she told a crowd of several hundred people Wednesday night.

The mayor went on to describe the importance of public safety. Columbus police responded to an 18% increase in calls last year and Ferdon commended the work of the Intelligence Policing Unit, noting a 22% decrease in property crime reports.

“The work that ILP performs each day often goes unnoticed as the measure of their success is through the absence of crime,” she said.

One of the more striking statistics she mentioned was the 36% decrease in overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023.

The Columbus City Council added a new department — Security and Risk in the 2024 budget and Ferdon recently appointed Columbus Police Chief Mike Richardson as director. She touched on why she believes the new department is essential.

“Unfortunately, over the past few years, nationwide, we’ve seen an increase in violent incidents, so locally we’ve become more focused on security for buildings and events, along with more training for potential incidents,” she said.

Richardson is set to retire as chief this spring and will begin his new role on June 3.

Another area of emphasis was affordable housing, and Ferdon said the city has begun a housing study/needs assessment in hopes of ensuring “our housing market provides opportunities for all income levels across our population.”

Several candidates running for public office in Columbus in recent years have identified the growing homeless population in the city as something they hope to address and Ferdon discussed her plans, announcing a United-Way led initiative “to move our community in the direction where homelessness is rare, brief and non-reoccurring.”

“Unfortunately, the causes of homelessness are complex and varied, and many residents have security and safety concerns,” Ferdon said. “Short term help is necessary but a long-term strategy which addresses individual needs is what experts believe will lift people out of homelessness.”

Ferdon said more details on the initiative will be available in the coming months.

Other topics included the reexamination of the city’s public transportation system, municipal animal control and the city’s downtown.

ColumBUS will undergo its first transit study since 2019 this spring and Ferdon said the “goal is to look holistically at the type of system that will best serve the needs of residents both now — as well as into the future.”

Animal control has transitioned to animal care, Ferdon said, and Columbus has a “highly engaged and active public interested and involved in the care of animals in our communities.”

She also talked about the increase of the number of animals that require care and announced the city has started reviewing what they can do to provide that care.

“We’ve begun the process of reviewing how we can design and build a facility which serves current and future needs in a more cost effective and efficient way,” she said.

Columbus’ downtown has experienced a drain in foot traffic and its in-office work force after the pandemic shifted the way many companies such as Cummins operate. Many workers who once called Columbus home now work remotely and the effect is reflected downtown.

“I’m asked frequently what our new normal looks like. I believe that is for us to determine,” Ferdon said. “This is our opportunity to recreate and transform our downtown.”

She pointed towards the riverfront project, new housing developments and a Heritage Fund driven exploration of a performing arts/cultural venue as things that could forge that future. The company Theatre Projects is assisting to help gauge the need, desire and feasibility of the venue and were collecting data from the public at a table during the event.

“We don’t have a choice — change has been thrust upon us,” Ferdon said.

In one month, Columbus will be in the zone of totality for the April 8 total eclipse and city officials have estimated as many as 200,000 people making the trip to catch a glimpse of something that won’t be seen again for more than 100 years. Ferdon lauded those in city and county that have been in preparation for a year-plus and called the event “a tremendous economic opportunity for our businesses and entrepreneurs.”

Ferdon also offered a number ways for the community to get involved:

• Healthy Communities’ Health Needs Assessment, available online or by phone from Thursday to March 27 (www.crh.org)
• Heritage Fund – Performing Arts Survey (www.surveymonkey.com/r/columbusarts
• Foundation for Youth Community Feedback – “Your Voice – Our Vision” on March 21 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (https://www.foundationforyouth.com/)
• Mental Health Matters Community Report – “Better Together” on April 30, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Commons
• Housing Study – Town Hall on March 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Columbus City Hall

Ferdon also thanked city employees: “… I know many of the people who make Columbus work; they do it proudly and not without sacrifice at times.”

Before concluding, the mayor talked about the city’s transition from third class to second class city status, which brought about the addition of two council members.

“So to make things official — although the State of Indiana deems us a Class 2 city – we recognize that the City of Columbus is second to none,” Ferdon said. “The word of the day is possibility — our city offers an endless supply.”

For a photo gallery of the event and the ribbon cutting or the fieldhouse, visit

Photo Gallery: State of the City Address